Molecular mechanisms of fat cell development
Mammals have different types of fat cells. White fat cells specialize in storing fats (triacylglycerides), while brown fat cells produce heat, i.e. burn energy. The number of these fat cell types differs in different fat tissues (abdominal fat, subcutaneous fat deposits). During early development, due to dietary influences and other environmental influences, the number and metabolic activity of white and brown fat cells changes. The formation and activation of brown fat cells in white fat deposits is increased, which is called "browning of fat tissue". We study the signals and molecular mechanisms that trigger this browning of fat tissue.
Selected publications
Maurer SF, Dieckmann S, Kleigrewe K, Colson C, Amri EZ, Klingenspor M. Fatty acid metabolites as novel regulators of non-shivering thermogenesis. Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2018 Aug 24. doi: 10.1007/164_2018_150
Li Y, Bolze F, Fromme T, Klingenspor M. Intrinsic differences in BRITE adipogenesis of primary adipocytes from two different mouse strains. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2014 Sep;1841(9):1345-52. doi: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2014.06.003.
Lasar D, Julius A, Fromme T, Klingenspor M. Browning attenuates murine white adipose tissue expansion during postnatal development. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2013 May;1831(5):960-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2013.01.016.
Vegiopoulos A, Müller-Decker K, Strzoda D, Schmitt I, Chichelnitskiy E, Ostertag A, Berriel Diaz M, Rozman J, Hrabe de Angelis M, Nüsing RM, Meyer CW, Wahli W, Klingenspor M, Herzig S. Cyclooxygenase-2 controls energy homeostasis in mice by de novo recruitment of brown adipocytes. Science 2010 May 28;328(5982):1158-61. doi: 10.1126/science.1186034.