title: Molecular pathways regulating the formation of brown-like adipocytes in white adipose tissue.
abstract: Adipose tissue is functionally composed of brown adipose tissue and white adipose tissue. The unique thermogenic capacity of brown adipose tissue results from expression of uncoupling protein 1 in the mitochondrial inner membrane. On the basis of recent findings that adult humans have functionally active brown adipose tissue, it is now recognized as playing a much more important role in human metabolism than was previously thought. More importantly, brown-like adipocytes can be recruited in white adipose tissue upon environmental stimulation and pharmacologic treatment, and this change is associated with increased energy expenditure, contributing to a lean and healthy phenotype. Thus, the promotion of brown-like adipocyte development in white adipose tissue offers novel possibilities for the development of therapeutic strategies to combat obesity and related metabolic diseases. In this review, we summarize recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the recruitment of brown-like adipocyte in white adipose tissue.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Preventative Medicine and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathological and Physiological Technology, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, Zhejiang, China.|Department of Medical Records and Statistics, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo, 315010, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Jianfei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Preventative Medicine and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathological and Physiological Technology, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Huiqin
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6433-6193
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: The Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine of Ningbo University, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Yushan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Preventative Medicine and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathological and Physiological Technology, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Anshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Preventative Medicine and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathological and Physiological Technology, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Preventative Medicine and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathological and Physiological Technology, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Zuquan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: Institute of Preventative Medicine and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathological and Physiological Technology, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D052437:Adipocytes, Brown / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D052436:Adipose Tissue, White / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D051336:Mitochondrial Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1
chemical_list: D007473:Ion Channels; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; C000604371:UCP1 protein, human; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1
keywords: adipocyte; brown like; thermogenesis; uncoupling protein 1; white adipose tissue