Adipose cells, better known as fat, may be the least popular component of the human body. However, most people don’t realize that fat actually has many important functions in establishing and maintaining good health—providing energy, insulating the body against heat loss and protecting nerves, just to name a few. Now, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine suggest there’s another role for the poor maligned adipose cell: a practical and plentiful source of stem cells for use in spinal fusion surgeries.