White adipose tissue and skeletal muscle are the largest organs with multiple sites or depots in the body. Both adipose tissue and muscle involve in lipid metabolism and glucose homeostasis, therefore being important in the maintenance of optimal body fat mass and insulin sensitivity. The major cell type of adipose tissue is the adipocyte while myocytes are the defining cells of skeletal muscle. The growing interest in understanding adipose tissue and muscle crosstalk largely stems from the recognition of the endocrine and signalling role of adipocytes, and this also becomes increasingly apparent for myocytes. Adipocytes release an array of protein hormones and signalling factors, termed adipokines, such as leptin, adiponectin, interleukin-6 (IL6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and zinc-alph2-glycoprotein. These adipokines exert a multiplicity of physiological functions and the alterations in their expression and release by adipocytes occur with adipose expansion in obesity. Myocytes also secrete bioactive protein signals termed myokines such as myostatin and IL-6, and more myokines have recently been identified by using proteomic approaches. Adipokines and myokines appear to be involved in local autocrine/paracrine interactions within adipose tissue and muscle, respectively. They are also involved in a network of endocrine crosstalk with other organs, including between adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. Indeed, the adipose-muscle crosstalk through the adipokines and myokines has significant implications for the biological processes, such as the modulation of lipolysis and insulin sensitivity. This presentation discusses selected examples of crosstalk between adipose tissue and skeletal muscle, particularly the pathophysiological relevance to adipose expansion and insulin resistance.