Diabetes Metab J.  2013 Apr;37(2):85-90. 10.4093/dmj.2013.37.2.85.

The Mechanism of White and Brown Adipocyte Differentiation

• Nakagami H

• KMID: 2280709
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2013.37.2.85

Abstract

Obesity gives vent to many diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, being considered as the main causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. The pathogenesis and pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome can well be understood by studying the molecular mechanisms that control the development and function of adipose tissue. In human body, exist two types of adipose tissue, the white and the brown one, which are reported to play various roles in energy homeostasis. The major and most efficient storage of energy occurs in the form of triglycerides in white adipose tissue while brown adipose tissue actively participates in both basal and inducible energy consumption in the form of thermogenesis. Recent years have observed a rapid and greater interest towards developmental plasticity and therapeutic potential of stromal cells those isolated from adipose tissue. The adipocyte differentiation involves a couple of regulators in the white or brown adipogenesis. Peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor-gamma actively participates in regulating carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and also acts as main regulator of both white and brown adipogenesis. This review based on our recent research, seeks to highlight the adipocyte differentiation.

Keyword

Adipogenesis; Adipose tissue, brown; Genes, homeobox; miR-196a; Obesity

MeSH Terms

Adipocytes
Adipocytes, Brown
Adipogenesis
Adipose Tissue
Adipose Tissue, Brown
Adipose Tissue, White
DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
Genes, Homeobox
Homeostasis
Human Body
Humans
Hyperlipidemias
Hypertension
Lipid Metabolism
Obesity
Peroxisomes
Stromal Cells
Thermogenesis
Triglycerides
DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
Triglycerides

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Adipocyte and myocyte differentiation. Characterization of regulatory regions of adipose-specific genes has helped in the discovery of the transcription factors peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP), which play a key role in the complex transcriptional cascade during white adipocyte differentiation. C/EBPβ, in collaboration with PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16), induces the brown fat program demonstrating its essential role in brown adipogenesis, which was partially originated from myoblast. Although, preadipocytes have been found likely to undergo brown adipogenesis, the molecular mechanism still needs to be clarified. This study reports HOXC8 as a novel candidate.

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