Brown Adipose Tissue Growth and Development

Brown Adipose Tissue Growth and Development

Brown adipose tissue is uniquely able to rapidly produce large amounts of heat through activation of uncoupling protein (UCP) 1. Maximally stimulated brown fat can produce 300 watts/kg of heat compared to 1 watt/kg in all other tissues. UCP1 is only present in small amounts in the fetus and in precocious mammals, such as sheep and humans; it is rapidly activated around the time of birth followi...

Brown adipose tissue growth and development: significance and nutritional regulation.

The last decade has witnessed a profound resurgence in brown adipose tissue (BAT) research. The need for such a dramatic increase stems from the ever-growing trend toward global obesity. Indeed, it is currently estimated that rates of obesity in developed countries such as the United States exceed 35% of the population (1). The higher incidence of obesity is associated with increased prevalence...

Brown adipose tissue: development, metabolism and beyond.

Obesity represents a major risk factor for the development of several of our most common medical conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, dyslipidaemia, non-alcoholic fatty liver, cardiovascular disease and even some cancers. Although increased fat mass is the main feature of obesity, not all fat depots are created equal. Adipocytes found in white adipose tissue contain a single large lipid dropl...

Development of brown and white adipose tissue.

Factors controlling brown adipose tissue development.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a site of non-shivering thermogenesis in mammals. Thermogenesis in brown adipocytes is related to the presence of a specific mitochondrial component called "uncoupling protein". When animals are chronically exposed to cold, their BAT is enlarged and exhibits several changes such as cellular differentiation, hyperplasia, mitochondriogenesis and marked synthesis of u...