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Isolation and Differentiation of Stromal Vascular Cells to Beige/Brite Cells
Published on: March 28, 2013
Browning attenuates murine white adipose tissue expansion during postnatal development
1Technische Universität München, Molecular Nutritional Medicine, Else Kröner-Fresenius Center and ZIEL, Research Center for Nutrition and Food Science, Freising, Germany.
Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta
|February 5, 2013
Summary
During mouse development, brown-like adipocytes (brite cells) transiently appear in white adipose tissue. Higher brite cell abundance in 129S6sv/ev mice correlated with reduced fat depot expansion but not overall energy balance.
Area of Science:
- Adipose tissue biology
- Developmental biology
- Metabolic research
Background:
- Distinct white adipose tissue depots exhibit a transient presence of brown-like adipocytes (brite cells) during postnatal development in mice.
- These brite adipocytes share features with classical brown adipocytes, such as multilocular morphology and expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1).
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the transient browning phenomenon in white adipose tissue between two inbred mouse strains with differing susceptibilities to diet-induced obesity.
- To investigate the relationship between brite adipocyte abundance, adipose tissue expansion, and systemic energy balance.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of white adipose tissue depots (retroperitoneal, inguinal, epididymal) and brown adipose tissue in 129S6sv/ev and C57BL6/N mouse strains from postnatal day 10 to 30.
- Assessment of multilocular adipocyte abundance and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) expression.
- Measurement of adipose tissue depot mass and total body fat mass.
Main Results:
- Transient browning was observed in retroperitoneal and inguinal adipose tissue in both strains.
- 129S6sv/ev mice showed a higher increase in brite adipocyte abundance and UCP1 expression compared to C57BL6/N mice between postnatal days 10-20.
- This increased browning in 129S6sv/ev mice was associated with attenuated expansion of these specific white adipose tissue depots.
- Epididymal white adipose tissue and interscapular brown adipose tissue showed steady mass increase in both strains.
- 129S6sv/ev mice accumulated significantly higher total body fat mass than C57BL6/N mice during the first 30 days of life.
Conclusions:
- On a local depot level, a higher number of brite cells is associated with reduced adipose tissue expansion during a specific developmental window.
- Strain-wide comparison suggests that this transient browning phenomenon does not have a systemic impact on overall energy balance or susceptibility to obesity.
- Further research is needed to understand the long-term implications of brite adipocyte development in different adipose depots.
