Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2012 Jun;23(3):190-195.
doi: 10.1097/MOL.0b013e328352dcef.

The holy grail of metabolic disease: brown adipose tissue

Alexander Bartelt  1 , Joerg Heeren
Affiliations
Review

The holy grail of metabolic disease: brown adipose tissue

Alexander Bartelt et al. Curr Opin Lipidol. 2012 Jun.

Abstract

Purpose of review: The finding that brown adipose tissue (BAT) is present in adults brought BAT physiology into the focus of many researchers interested in energy metabolism. Here, we review recent insight into how BAT develops, functions and might help to treat metabolic disorders in humans.

Recent findings: BAT is under control of the nervous system, and several pathways have been identified that allow direct manipulation of BAT biology. In addition, some brown adipocytes arise from a distinct subset of white adipocyte precursors and studies were performed that characterize the development of these 'brite' adipocytes. Importantly, progress has been made in understanding how BAT takes up and dissipates nutrients that in metabolic disorders are present in excess. Finally, as it seems that BAT activity declines with age and obesity, we review findings that might shed light on how humans could sustain or increase BAT activity, thus preventing or treating obesity, hyperlipidemia and type 2 diabetes.

Summary: BAT is a powerful organ that controls the development of metabolic disease. These powers are boosted by mechanisms that turn white into brown fat and enhance lipid flux into BAT. However, in humans, it remains unclear what was the first: metabolic disease or decreased BAT activity.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Van Gaal LF, Mertens IL, De Block CE. Mechanisms linking obesity with cardiovascular disease. Nature 2006; 444:875–880.
    1. Cypess AM, Lehman S, Williams G, et al. Identification and importance of brown adipose tissue in adult humans. N Engl J Med 2009; 360:1509–1517.
    1. Marken Lichtenbelt WD, Vanhommerig JW, Smulders NM, et al. Cold-activated brown adipose tissue in healthy men. N Engl J Med 2009; 360:1500–1508.
    1. Virtanen KA, Lidell ME, Orava J, et al. Functional brown adipose tissue in healthy adults. N Engl J Med 2009; 360:1518–1525.
    1. Saito M, Okamatsu-Ogura Y, Matsushita M, et al. High incidence of metabolically active brown adipose tissue in healthy adult humans: effects of cold exposure and adiposity. Diabetes 2009; 58:1526–1531.

Publication types

MeSH terms