Brown adipose tissue and body weight regulation

Abstract

Brown adipose tissue plays a critical role in neonatal thermogenesis, insuring survival of the newborn infant during the transition from intrauterine to extrauterine life. In rodents, the generation and/or expansion of brown adipose tissue within white adipose depots ("beiging") provides a defense against obesity and glucose intolerance. Here we describe the origin and development of brown adipocytes, the hormonal control of "beiging" in humans and other mammals, the effects of obesity on brown adipose mass and activity, and the implications of brown adipose for human metabolic homeostasis.