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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 16, 2026

Differentiation and Imaging of Brown Adipocytes from the Stromal Vascular Fraction of Interscapular Adipose Tissue from Newborn Mice

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Published on: February 3, 2023

Human and Mouse Brown Adipose Tissue Mitochondria Have Comparable UCP1 Function.

Craig Porter¹, David N Herndon¹, Maria Chondronikola²

¹Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA; Shriners Hospitals for Children, Galveston, Galveston, TX 77550, USA.

Cell Metabolism

|August 11, 2016

Summary

Human brown adipose tissue (BAT) has functional uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), crucial for thermoregulation. Both human and rodent BAT exhibit similar UCP1 function per mitochondrion, indicating comparable thermogenic capabilities.

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Last Updated: Mar 16, 2026

Differentiation and Imaging of Brown Adipocytes from the Stromal Vascular Fraction of Interscapular Adipose Tissue from Newborn Mice

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Isolation and Differentiation of Stromal Vascular Cells to Beige/Brite Cells

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Published on: March 28, 2013

Area of Science:

Mitochondrial biology
Thermogenesis research
Comparative physiology

Background:

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is vital for mammalian thermoregulation.
Uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) in BAT mitochondria enables thermogenic function.
Direct quantification of UCP1 function in human BAT and comparison with rodents is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

To directly quantify UCP1 function in human supraclavicular BAT.
To compare the thermogenic function of human and rodent BAT.
To investigate the qualitative similarity of UCP1 function between human and rodent BAT.

Main Methods:

High-resolution respirometry was used to assess human and rodent BAT.
Respiratory capacity, coupling control, and UCP1 function were measured.
Sensitivity to GDP was analyzed to confirm UCP1 activity.

Main Results:

Human BAT mitochondria demonstrated GDP-sensitive respiration, confirming functional UCP1.
This study provides the first direct evidence of thermogenically active UCP1 in human BAT.
Human and rodent BAT showed similar UCP1 function on a per-mitochondrion basis.

Conclusions:

Human brown adipose tissue possesses thermogenically functional UCP1.
Human and rodent BAT exhibit qualitative similarities in UCP1-mediated thermogenesis.
These findings advance our understanding of mammalian thermoregulation and BAT function.