[Thermogenesis and obesity: molecular aspects].

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Metabolism
• Obesity Research

Background:

• The body's energy balance relies on energy intake (eating) and output (metabolism, exercise, heat production).
• Recent human studies suggest a potential link between obesity and diminished heat production.
• This hypothesis is supported by findings in obese rodents, where brown adipose tissue is a key mediator of thermogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the hypothesis that decreased thermogenic consumption during eating contributes to obesity development.
• To investigate the role of brown adipose tissue, a known thermogenic effector, in energy balance.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent human studies on energy balance and obesity.
• Examination of established knowledge regarding brown adipose tissue function in rodents.
• Discussion of the molecular mechanisms of thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue.

Main Results:

• Evidence suggests a correlation between reduced heat production and obesity in humans.
• Brown adipose tissue is a primary site for diet-induced and cold-induced thermogenesis in rodents.
• Molecular mechanisms for brown adipose tissue heat production are increasingly understood.

Conclusions:

• A deficit in diet-induced thermogenesis may contribute to obesity.
• Brown adipocytes are present in adult humans, but their exact role in energy balance requires further investigation.
• Future studies will focus on the contribution of human brown adipose tissue to energy homeostasis.