Human thermogenic adipocytes: a reflection on types of adipocyte, developmental origin, and potential application.
Obesity is a leading health problem facing the modern world; however, no effective therapy for this health issue has yet been developed. A promising research direction to identify novel therapies to prevent obesity has emerged from discoveries on development and function of brown/brite adipocytes in mammals. Importantly, there is evidence for the presence and function of active thermogenic brown adipocytes in both infants and adult humans. Several new investigations have shown that thermogenic adipocytes are beneficial to maintain glucose homeostasis, insulin sensitivity, and a healthy body fat content. Such thermogenic adipocytes have been considered as targets to develop a therapy for preventing obesity. This short review seeks to highlight recent findings on the development and function of brown/brite adipocytes in humans and to discuss potential treatments based on these adipocytes to reduce obesity and its related disorders.
Institute for Research and Development, Duy Tan University, K7/25 Quang Trung, Danang, Vietnam. chudinhtoi@hnue.edu.vn.|Faculty of Biology, Hanoi National University of Education, Hanoi, Vietnam. chudinhtoi@hnue.edu.vn.|Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Nordic European Molecular Biology Laboratory Partnership, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. chudinhtoi@hnue.edu.vn.
Dinh-Toi
DT
Chu
College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
Yang
Y
Tao
D000069797:Adipocytes, Beige / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation; D052437:Adipocytes, Brown / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation; D052438:Adipocytes, White / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D050156:Adipogenesis; D050154:Adiposity; D000818:Animals; D002196:Capillaries / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008954:Models, Biological; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology; D022722:Thermogenesis
Brite and brown adipocytes; Overweight and obesity; Thermogenesis; Thermogenic adipocytes