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Isolation of Adipose Tissue Immune Cells
Published on: May 22, 2013
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Eosinophils in fat: pink is the new brown
Stephen D Lee1, Peter Tontonoz1
1Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Cell
|June 7, 2014
Summary
White adipose tissue browning, a process enhancing thermogenesis, is mediated by immune cells. Eosinophils and alternatively activated macrophages are key players in this metabolic switch.
Area of Science:
- Metabolic research
- Immunology
- Adipose tissue biology
Background:
- Subcutaneous white adipose tissue (WAT) can transform into a thermogenically active state, known as browning.
- This metabolic adaptation is triggered by physiological cues like cold exposure and exercise.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying WAT browning.
- To identify the immune cells involved in mediating the metabolic switch in adipose tissue.
Main Methods:
- Investigated the role of eosinophils and alternatively activated macrophages in adipose tissue.
- Utilized techniques to observe immune cell infiltration and activation during browning.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated that eosinophils and alternatively activated macrophages are crucial for inducing WAT browning.
- These immune cells orchestrate an inflammatory cascade that promotes thermogenesis.
Conclusions:
- Immune cells, specifically eosinophils and alternatively activated macrophages, are essential regulators of adipose tissue thermogenesis.
- Targeting these immune pathways could offer new strategies for metabolic disease treatment.
