The name Aracea comes from the Latin Araceae, the plant family that is literally the hottest on Earth. “The undisputed champions of botanical thermogenesis are the aroids (Araceae),” a subset of plants that evolved the ability to produce heat. Their flowers can reach up to 45°C even when the surrounding air temperature is much lower. … Read more
We know that carrying excess fat is bad for us and can contribute to a number of diseases, such as diabetes. But not all fat is created equal. While certain types of fat cells can accumulate in our bodies and cause health problems, other types have evolved to turn fuel into heat – so they … Read more
Worry About Getting Too Fat No More? Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have successfully disabled a gene in specific mouse cells, preventing mice from becoming obese even after being fed a high-fat diet. Macrophages, vital inflammatory cells which are responsible for detecting, engulfing and destroying pathogens, were blocked by … Read more
New data highlights how cold exposure activates brown fat, energy metabolism Short-term cold exposure may help people with brown fat burn 15 percent more calories than those without, according to a small study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Unlike white fat, brown fat burns calories through fatty acid oxidation and … Read more
CRISPR corrects genetic defect so cells can normalize blood sugar Using induced pluripotent stem cells produced from the skin of a patient with a rare, genetic form of insulin-dependent diabetes called Wolfram syndrome, researchers transformed the human stem cells into insulin-producing cells and used the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 to correct a genetic defect that had … Read more
Since the recent rediscovery of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in adult humans, this thermogenic tissue has been attracting increasing interest. The inverse relationship between BAT activity and body fatness suggests that BAT, because of its energy dissipating activity, is protective against body fat accumulation. Cold exposure activates and recruits BAT, resulting in increased energy expenditure … Read more
New research suggests that transient receptor channels (TRPs) activated in progenitor cells can help create more According to research published online in The FASEB Journal, scientists have discovered a way to increase the amount of metabolism-boosting brown adipose tissue (BAT) (“good” fat) by employing two receptors on BAT cells as potential therapeutic targets. Both receptors, … Read more
Could it be that body fat has more to do with biological processes than personal choices? Do we control our fat, or does it control us? For generations, overweight individuals have been stigmatized and cast as lazy. But scientists are coming to understand fat as a fascinating and dynamic organ—one whose size has more to … Read more
The Gene: An Intimate History weaves together science, history & personal stories for a historical biography of the human genome, while also exploring breakthroughs for diagnosis & treatment of genetic diseases & the complex ethical questions they raise. ABOUT THE SERIES “The Gene: An Intimate History” is a major new four-hour documentary from Ken Burns … Read more
When we are exposed to sufficient cold or exercise, small clusters of brown fat cells in our bodies begin to burn up energy. Since 2009, when researchers at Joslin Diabetes Center and other institutions discovered that this helpful form of fat can be active in adults, scientists have sought to turn up the heat from … Read more