Can Brown Fat Win the Battle against White Fat

摘要: A rapid growth in the overweight and obese population last few decades suggest that current diet, exercise, awareness or drug strategies are still not effectively restraining obesity epidemic. Obesity results from increased energy intake, body's balance shifts towards abundance. Therefore, research is focused on developing new aimed at increasing expenditure. As a result, brown adipose tissue (BAT) receiving tremendous attention since major function of BAT to dissipate as heat. For example, mouse models have activity numbers brown-like adipocytes within white (WAT) lean protected obesity. Alternatively, lack more susceptible age diet-induced However, significant loss mass during natural process humans has created enormous challenges utilizing this increase New primarily expanding and/or activating existing BAT. In regard, recent finding expression early B cell factor-2 (Ebf2) reprograms pre-adipocytes into break-through BAT-mediated treat Here we review biological functions WAT BAT, which play critical but opposing roles spectrum, storage versus expenditure, evaluate whether activation expansion practically achievable humans.