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
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
Brown adipocytes are promising cell targets to counteract obesity thanks to their potential to drain and oxidize circulating glucose and triglycerides. Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), i.e., embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, help gain insight into the different phases in the development of multiple cell types. Differentiation of human PSCs into thermogenic adipocytes … Read more
A new approach to treating overweight and obesity Our fat cells, technically referred to as adipocytes, play an essential role in regulating energy balance in our body. “Adipocytes are not merely an energy storage for times of deprivation, but they also release hormones into the blood, regulating our metabolism as well as feelings of hunger … Read more
Many people might not realize that they have different types of body fat. Most of it is white fat that sits on your stomach, hips and thighs, for example. White fat is an energy storage that our body can use when food is scarce. White fat also produces and receives signals from a variety of … Read more