Resistin, a novel signalling molecule isolated in mice has been suggested to be the putative hormone thought to link obesity with type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to examine resistin protein expression in human adipose tissue depots and resistin secretion in isolated adipose cells, to characterize resistin expression in human adipose tissue. Both resistin mRNA and protein expression were analysed from human adipose tissue (n = 5 adipose tissue samples: abdominal subcutaneous (Sc) n = 19, abdominal omental adipose tissue (Om) n = 10, thigh n = 9, breast n = 7). Resistin protein expression levels were similar in both the abdominal Sc and Om adipose tissue depots, and expression in abdominal fat depots were increased compared with thigh (p < 0.001) and breast tissue depots (p < 0.001). These findings were consistent with the mRNA expression studies. Resistin was secreted from both pre-adipocytes and adipocytes cells. Thus, resistin resides within isolated adipose cells and is expressed and secreted in human adipose tissue. In conclusion, this study confirms the expression of resistin in human adipose tissue and increased expression in abdominal fat, this suggests a potential role in linking central obesity to type 2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease.