Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026
04:46
Differentiation and Imaging of Brown Adipocytes from the Stromal Vascular Fraction of Interscapular Adipose Tissue from Newborn Mice
Published on: February 3, 2023
Molecular determinants of brown adipocyte formation and function
1Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA.
Genes & Development
|May 17, 2008
Summary
Researchers discovered how PRDM16 switches white fat to brown fat. This finding offers new therapeutic targets for obesity by promoting fat burning and heat production.
Area of Science:
- Metabolism and Endocrinology
- Cellular Biology
- Obesity Research
Background:
- Humans possess two main adipose tissues: white adipose tissue (WAT) for fat storage and brown adipose tissue (BAT) for thermogenesis.
- Obesity and related metabolic disorders are significant global health concerns.
- Converting WAT to BAT is a promising therapeutic strategy to combat obesity.
Discussion:
- PRDM16 acts as a key regulator in the browning of white adipose tissue.
- PRDM16 simultaneously promotes BAT-specific gene expression and suppresses WAT-specific gene expression.
- This dual action of PRDM16 is crucial for the WAT to BAT conversion process.
Key Insights:
- Kajimura and colleagues identified a novel mechanism involving PRDM16 in regulating adipose tissue phenotype.
- The study elucidates how PRDM16 controls the switch between fat storage (WAT) and fat burning (BAT).
- PRDM16, along with its coregulators PPARgamma coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1alpha) and C-terminal-binding protein 1/2 (CtBP1/2), orchestrates this critical cellular transformation.
Outlook:
- PRDM16 and its coregulators represent potential therapeutic targets for obesity treatment.
- Developing drugs that modulate PRDM16 activity could enhance BAT function and combat metabolic disease.
- Further research into this pathway may unlock new strategies for metabolic health management.
Related Concept Videos
01:30General Transcription Factors
Tissue-specific transcription factors contribute to diverse cellular functions in mammals. For example, the gene for beta globin, a major component of hemoglobin, is present in all cells of the body. However, it is only expressed in red blood cells because the transcription factors that can bind to the promoter sequences of the beta globin gene are only expressed in these cells. Tissue-specific transcription factors also ensure that mutations in these factors may impair only the function of...
02:16Transcription Factors
Tissue-specific transcription factors contribute to diverse cellular functions in mammals. For example, the gene for beta globin, a major component of hemoglobin, is present in all cells of the body. However, it is only expressed in red blood cells because the transcription factors that can bind to the promoter sequences of the beta globin gene are only expressed in these cells. Tissue-specific transcription factors also ensure that mutations in these factors may impair only the function of...
02:23Master Transcription Regulators
Master transcription regulators are regulatory proteins that are predominantly responsible for regulating the expression of multiple genes. Often these genes work in concert to drive a complex process. Activation of a master transcription regulator can lead to a cascade of transcriptional activation necessary for that outcome. These regulators can directly bind to the regulatory sequences of the various genes involved, or they can indirectly regulate transcription by binding to regulatory...
02:27Background and Environment Affect Phenotype
Although the genetic makeup of an organism plays a major role in determining the phenotype, there are also several environmental factors, such as temperature, oxygen availability, presence of mutagens, that can alter an organism’s phenotype.
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
01:58Cell Specific Gene Expression
Multicellular organisms contain a variety of structurally and functionally distinct cell types, but the DNA in all the cells originated from the same parent cells. The differences in the cells can be attributed to the differential gene expression. Liver cells, whose functions include detoxification of blood, production of bile to metabolize fats, and synthesis of proteins essential for metabolism, must express a specific set of genes to perform their functions. Gene expression also varies with...
01:39Epistasis
In addition to multiple alleles at the same locus influencing traits, numerous genes or alleles at different locations may interact and influence phenotypes in a phenomenon called epistasis. For example, rabbit fur can be black or brown depending on whether the animal is homozygous dominant or heterozygous at a TYRP1 locus. However, if the rabbit is also homozygous recessive at a locus on the tyrosinase gene (TYR), it will have an unshaded coat that appears white, regardless of its TYRP1...