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Adipose tissue development during early postnatal life in ewe-reared lambs
L Clarke1, D S Buss, D T Juniper
1School of Animal and Microbial Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, UK.
Experimental Physiology
|December 31, 1997
Summary
Postnatal lamb adipose tissue transitions from brown to white within 30 days. This maturation, involving uncoupling protein (UCP) levels and lipid deposition, appears regulated by body temperature and IGF-1.
Area of Science:
- Adipose tissue biology
- Endocrinology
- Mammalian physiology
Background:
- Brown adipose tissue (BAT) generates heat, while white adipose tissue (WAT) stores energy.
- Understanding the transition between BAT and WAT is crucial for metabolic research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the time course of brown adipose tissue (BAT) to white adipose tissue (WAT) transformation in postnatal lambs.
- To investigate the molecular and physiological factors influencing this adipose tissue maturation.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of perirenal adipose tissue from lambs aged 0-30 days.
- Quantification of uncoupling protein (UCP) mRNA, UCP amount and activity, and lipid content.
- Measurement of colonic temperature, thyroid hormones, and IGF-1 levels.
Main Results:
- Adipose tissue showed high UCP mRNA and activity in the first 4-7 days, coinciding with lower body temperature.
- Between 7 and 30 days, UCP levels decreased as lipid deposition increased, with body temperature rising.
- A positive correlation was found between adipose tissue lipid content and plasma IGF-1 concentration.
Conclusions:
- Ovine adipose tissue maturation occurs in two distinct phases within the first month of life.
- Lamb body temperature may regulate the shift from heat-producing BAT to energy-storing WAT.
- IGF-1 concentration is positively associated with adipose tissue lipid accumulation during maturation.