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Updated: May 29, 2026

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

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Published on: March 28, 2013

Projection-defined hypothalamic outputs differentially regulate thermogenesis and lipolysis.

Hyeonyoung Min¹, Qi Zheng¹, Yunlei Yang^1,2,3,4

¹Department of Medicine Division of Endocrinology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

|May 27, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) directs distinct neural pathways to control energy expenditure. One pathway activates brown fat thermogenesis, while another promotes white fat lipolysis.

Keywords:

PVT VMH lipolysis rPAG thermogenesis

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Isolation of Targeted Hypothalamic Neurons for Studies of Hormonal, Metabolic, and Electrical Regulation

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Published on: August 4, 2023

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Metabolism
Endocrinology

Background:

The ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) is crucial for energy homeostasis.
Neurons expressing steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) within the VMH regulate energy expenditure.
The specific projection pathways of VMH SF-1 neurons controlling different fat depots are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify and characterize distinct VMH SF-1 output pathways.
To determine the differential roles of these pathways in regulating energy expenditure and adipose tissue function.

Main Methods:

Utilized projection-specific optogenetic and chemogenetic manipulations in SF1-Cre mice.
Investigated the effects of activating specific VMH SF-1 projections on thermogenesis and lipolysis.
Assessed target region innervation and activity.

Main Results:

Identified two distinct VMH SF-1 output pathways: one to the rostral periaqueductal gray (rPAG) and another to the paraventricular thalamus (PVT).
Activation of the VMH SF-1→rPAG projection selectively stimulated brown adipose tissue thermogenesis.
Activation of the VMH SF-1→PVT pathway promoted white adipose tissue lipolysis without affecting thermogenesis.

Conclusions:

VMH SF-1 neurons utilize distinct output pathways to differentially regulate thermogenesis and lipid mobilization.
These findings reveal a modular neural framework for coordinating energy expenditure and substrate utilization.
The identified pathways offer insights into flexible, state-dependent metabolic control.