Mechanisms of obesity and related pathologies: transcriptional control of adipose tissue development

Obesity and its associated disorders, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, have now reached epidemic proportions in the Western world, resulting in dramatic increases in healthcare costs. Understanding the processes and metabolic perturbations that contribute to the expansion of adipose depots accompanying obesity is central to the development of appropriate therapeutic strategies. This minireview focuses on a discussion of the recent identification of molecular mechanisms controlling the development and function of adipose tissues, as well as how these mechanisms contribute to the regulation of energy balance in mammals.