Molecular tools to characterize adiponectin activity

Within the past years, numerous hormones were found to be secreted by adipose tissue. As these adipokines exert different physiological effects with great importance in obesity, they provide new strategies for the treatment of obesity associated disorders. Adiponectin is one of the most promising targets due to its protective properties in glucose and lipid metabolism, which are mediated by the adiponectin receptor 1 and 2. Within the past decades, substantial progress in understanding the molecular function of this unique ligand-receptor system could be achieved. This review summarizes the most important approaches for the investigation of adiponectin activity. Even though many insights into adipokine function could be achieved, clarification of the detailed mode of action is still challenging. For this reason, this review gives an overview of frequently used methods, which led to the molecular characterization of adiponectin and might help to get more detailed insights into the broad aspects of obesity.