Biochemical mechanisms of thermogenesis in cellular metabolism
We constantly release part of the chemical energy of food as heat to the environment, since the main energy carriers in our food (sugar and fatty acids) must first be converted into ATP (adenosine triphosphate). There are two fundamentally different mechanisms that further stimulate this heat generation. On the one hand, cells can uncouple the respiration of mitochondria from ATP synthesis; on the other hand, cycles of energy-consuming processes can be performed ("futile cycles"), which consume ATP at high rates. In both cases, cellular oxygen consumption increases and so does thermogenesis. The energy of sugar and fatty acids then simply evaporates as heat. Brown fat cells are specialized in the uncoupling of mitochondrial respiration.
Scientific collaborations
Prof. Dr. Maik Hüttemann, Wayne State University, Detroit, USA
Prof. Dr. Matthias Mann, MPI
Selected publications
Hankir MK, Klingenspor M. Brown adipocyte glucose metabolism: a heated subject. EMBO Rep. 2018 Sep;19(9). pii: e46404. doi: 10.15252/embr.201846404.
Braun K, Oeckl J, Westermeier J, Li Y, Klingenspor M. Non-adrenergic control of lipolysis and thermogenesis in adipose tissues. J Exp Biol. 2018 Mar 7;221(Pt Suppl 1). pii: jeb165381. doi: 10.1242/jeb.165381.
Fromme T, Kleigrewe K, Dunkel A, Retzler A, Li Y, Maurer S, Fischer N, Diezko R, Kanzleiter T, Hirschberg V, Hofmann T, Klingenspor M. Degradation of brown adipocyte purine nucleotides regulates uncoupling protein 1 activity. Mol Metab. 2018 Feb;8:77-85. doi: 10.1016/j.molmet.2017.12.010.
Maurer SF, Fromme T, Grossman LI, Hüttemann M, Klingenspor M. The brown and brite adipocyte marker Cox7a1 is not required for non-shivering thermogenesis in mice.
Sci Rep. 2015 Dec 4;5:17704. doi: 10.1038/srep17704.
Li Y, Fromme T, Schweizer S, Schöttl T, Klingenspor M. Taking control over intracellular fatty acid levels is essential for the analysis of thermogenic function in cultured primary brown and brite/beige adipocytes. EMBO Rep. 2014 Oct;15(10):1069-76. doi:10.15252/embr.201438775.
Forner F, Kumar C, Luber CA, Fromme T, Klingenspor M, Mann M. Proteome differences between brown and white fat mitochondria reveal specialized metabolic functions. Cell Metab. 2009 Oct;10(4):324-35. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2009.08.014.