Cited by 1,177Adipose Tissue and MetabolismAdipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic DiseasesPeroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors

Adipose tissue browning and metabolic health

Open access
Bartelt, Alexander, Heeren, Joerg·2014·Nature Reviews Endocrinology

Abstract

Accumulation of excess white adipose tissue (WAT) has deleterious consequences for metabolic health. The activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT), the primary organ for heat production, confers beneficial effects on adiposity, insulin resistance and hyperlipidaemia, at least in mice. As the amount of metabolically active BAT seems to be particularly low in patients with obesity or diabetes mellitus who require immediate therapy, new avenues are needed to increase the capacity for adaptive thermogenesis. In this light, we review the findings that BAT in human adults might consist of not only classic brown adipocytes but also inducible brown adipocytes (also called beige, brown-in-white, or brite adipocytes), which are phenotypically distinct from both white and brown adipocytes. Stimulating the development of beige adipocytes in WAT (so called 'browning') might reduce adverse effects of WAT and could help to improve metabolic health. This article focuses on the development and regulatory control of beige adipocytes at the transcriptional and hormonal levels. Emerging insights into the metabolic role of beige adipocytes are also discussed, along with the developments that can be expected from these promising targets for therapy of metabolic disease in the future.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nrendo.2013.204

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Authors
Bartelt, A., & Heeren, J.
Affiliations
Harvard University (US)
Corresponding author
Bartelt, Alexander
Venue
Nature Reviews Endocrinology
Published
2013-10-22
Volume
10
Issue
1
Pages
24-36
ISSN
  • 1759-5029 (ISSN-L)
  • 1759-5037
OpenAlex
W2079482653
Cited by
1,177
References
161
Citations by year
2026: 61 · 2025: 77 · 2024: 106 · 2023: 105 · 2022: 111 · 2021: 112 · 2020: 119 · 2019: 102 · 2018: 86 · 2017: 80 · 2016: 79 · 2015: 63 · 2014: 70 · 2012: 1
FWCI
7.79
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Reviews Endocrinology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors
Keywords
adipose tissue browning, beige adipocytes, brown adipose tissue, white adipose tissue, thermogenesis, obesity, insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, adipogenesis, transcriptional regulation, hormonal regulation, metabolic disease treatment
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Physiological, Animals, Adipose Tissue, Brown, Disease Models, Animal, Humans, Metabolic Diseases, Metabolism, Thermogenesis, Mice, Adipocytes, Brown, Adipocytes, White

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