title: Brown adipose tissue: Updates in cellular and molecular biology.
abstract: Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is mainly composed of adipocytes, it is highly vascularized and innervated, and can be activated in adult humans. Brown adipocytes are responsible for performing non-shivering thermogenesis, which is exclusively mediated by uncoupling protein (UCP) -1 (a protein found in the inner mitochondrial membrane), the hallmark of BAT, responsible for the uncoupling of the proton leakage from the ATP production, therefore, generating heat (i.e. thermogenesis). Besides UCP1, other compounds are essential not only to thermogenesis, but also to the proliferation and differentiation of BAT, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) family, PPARgamma coactivator 1 (PGC1)-alpha, and PRD1-BF-1-RIZ1 homologous domain protein containing protein (PRDM) -16. The sympathetic nervous system centrally regulates thermogenesis through norepinephrine, which acts on the adrenergic receptors of BAT. This bound leads to the initialization of the many pathways that may activate thermogenesis in acute and/or chronic ways. In summary, this mini-review aims to demonstrate the latest advances in the knowledge of BAT.
authors: Laboratory of Morphometry, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, Institute of Biology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Thereza Cristina Lonzetti
authors: TC
authors: Bargut
authors: Laboratory of Morphometry, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, Institute of Biology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Marcia Barbosa
authors: MB
authors: Aguila
authors: Laboratory of Morphometry, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, Institute of Biology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: mandarim@uerj.br.
authors: Carlos Alberto
authors: CA
authors: Mandarim-de-Lacerda
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D000071248:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D022722:Thermogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C416371:PRDM16 protein, human; D000071248:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha; C485290:Ppargc1a protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors; C000604371:UCP1 protein, human; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D009638:Norepinephrine
keywords: Brown adipocytes; Brown adipose tissue; Non-shivering thermogenesis; Obesity; Uncoupling protein 1