Fat

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/fat

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Adipose tissue
2. What is the primary tissue type?Connective tissue composed of adipocytes
3. What is fat and why does my body need it?Fat is stored in special cells called adipocytes and acts like a backup energy bank. It keeps you warm, helps your body grow, and protects your organs.
4. How does my body use fat when I don't eat or when I'm exercising?When food is scarce, hormones tell fat cells to break down stored triglycerides into fatty acids and glycerol. These fuels travel through the blood to cells, where they are turned into energy.

Adipokines: Signaling proteins secreted by adipose tissue that regulate metabolism, inflammation, and appetite.
Lipogenesis: The metabolic process by which fatty acids are synthesized and stored as triglycerides.
Lipolysis: The breakdown of stored triglycerides into free fatty acids and glycerol for energy.
Beta-oxidation: The metabolic pathway that breaks down fatty acids to produce ATP, the cell's energy currency.