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
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
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
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
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
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
A newly published study by researchers from the University of Colorado School of Medicine has identified a potential therapeutic target for treating obesity and diabetes. The scientists studied the biological function of an epigenetic modifier known as histone deacetylase 11 (HDAC11), and determined that deleting it in mice stimulates the formation of brown adipose tissue. … Read more
The importance of the human brown adipose tissue (BAT) has become clearer during the past ten years. Using positron emission tomography, PET, it was shown that adult humans have functional BAT. Coldness is an effective activator of the BAT metabolic function but, in rodents, eating has the same effect. Now, the researchers at Turku PET … Read more
A new technique to study fat stores in the body could aid efforts to find treatments to tackle obesity. The approach focuses on energy-burning tissues found deep inside the body — called brown fat — that help to keep us warm when temperatures drop. Experts are aiming to find if this calorie-burning power can be … Read more
New discoveries about the mechanism responsible for heat generation in the body related to fat tissue oppose classical views in the field and could lead to new ways to fight metabolic disorders associated with obesity, according to a study led by Georgia State University. More than one-third of adults in the United States are obese, … Read more