{"doi":"10.1016/j.xpro.2024.103264","title":"Protocol to fabricate elastomer microwells for three-dimensional culture of primary adipocytes","abstract":"Our understanding of how adipocytes influence metabolic signaling, immune function, and cancer progression remains limited as the culture of primary adipocytes is challenging. Here, we present a protocol to fabricate elastomer microwells for three-dimensional culture of collagen-embedded adipocytes. We describe steps to cure and functionalize elastomer microwells and to isolate and embed primary adipocytes. We then detail how to culture and analyze adipocyte-collagen gels. This protocol provides broad applications to improve our understanding of adipocyte biology in health and disease. • Fabrication and surface functionalization of elastomer microwells • Isolation of adipocytes from resected human or murine adipose tissue • Encapsulation of adipocytes in collagen for long-term culture • Compatible with inhibitor studies, co-culture with other cells, and confocal microscopy Publisher’s note: Undertaking any experimental protocol requires adherence to local institutional guidelines for laboratory safety and ethics. Our understanding of how adipocytes influence metabolic signaling, immune function, and cancer progression remains limited as the culture of primary cells is challenging. Here, we present a protocol to fabricate elastomer microwells for three-dimensional culture of collagen-embedded adipocytes. We describe steps to cure and functionalize elastomer microwells and to isolate and embed primary adipocytes. We then detail how to culture and analyze adipocyte-collagen gels. This protocol provides broad applications to improve our understanding of adipocyte biology in health and disease.","journal":"STAR Protocols","year":2024,"id":451658,"datarank":0.20794415416798362,"base_score":1.3862943611198906,"endowment":1.3862943611198906,"self_citation_contribution":0.20794415416798362,"citation_network_contribution":0.0,"self_endowment_contribution":0.20794415416798362,"citer_contribution":0.0,"corpus_percentile":null,"corpus_rank":null,"citation_count":3,"citer_count":0,"citers_with_citation_signal":0,"citers_with_endowment":0,"datacite_reuse_total":0,"is_dataset":false,"is_dataset_confidence":0.9491,"is_data_producer":false,"deposit_databanks":null,"is_oa":true,"file_count":0,"downloads":0,"has_version_chain":false,"published_date":"2024-01-01","fair_score":null,"fair_percentile":null,"algorithm_id":"datarank_citation_only_1hop_v6","ranking_scope":"data_only","authors":[{"id":712596,"name":"Jenny Deng","orcid":null,"position":1,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":246181,"name":"Claudia Fischbach","orcid":"0000-0002-9368-0150","position":2,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":325297,"name":"Garrett F. Beeghly","orcid":"0000-0002-4726-5896","position":0,"is_corresponding":true}],"reference_count":15,"raw_metadata":{"citation_network_status":"fetched"},"created_at":"2026-07-19T02:02:45.951080Z","pmid":"39146192","pmcid":null,"fwci":null,"citation_percentile":null,"influential_citations":0,"oa_status":null,"license":null,"views":0,"total_file_size_bytes":0,"version_count":0,"fair_f":null,"fair_a":null,"fair_i":null,"fair_r":null,"fair_zscore":null,"fair_rationale":null,"fair_model":null,"fair_agent_version":null,"fair_fulltext_source":null,"fair_has_llm":null,"fair_computed_at":null,"clinical_trials":[],"software_tools":[],"db_accessions":[],"linked_datasets":[],"topics":[]}