The stromal vascular fraction contains adipose-derived stem cells and provides cytokines; this vascular fraction has been applied wildly in adipose tissue engineering field as a superior material compared with adipose-derived stem cells alone. This review illustrates the components and merits of stromal vascular fraction; summarizes stromal vascular fraction isolation methods and operation details; discusses the choices of scaffold materials; introduces cytokines in the micro-environment surrounding the stromal vascular fraction, which should be considered in engineered adipose tissue construction; analyzes two specific methods(i.e., mixture of the stromal vascular fraction and fat granules and mixture of the stromal vascular fraction and platelet-rich plasma or fibrin) to regenerate adipose tissue; and concludes with the obstacles of stromal vascular fraction in engineered adipose tissue construction. This review aims to contribute to the construction of engineered adipose tissue that can be applied in the clinical setting with higher survival rates and fewer complications.
