Genotypic and Phenotypic Differences Between Nasal and
Central Adipose Depots. During fetal development, the nasal
and central orbital adipose depots likely develop from different
tissue layers. The nasal fat pad is continuous with the intraconal
fat and possesses similar gross morphologic appearance. Orbital
connective tissue, as exquisitely studied by Johnston et
al.,8 was shown to originate from neural crest cells. Central
orbital fat, by its more yellow appearance, however, grossly
resembles adipose tissue from throughout the rest of the body
and although not directly studied, is presumed to be derived
from mesoderm, as are the rest of the body’s yellow adipose
tissues.