Goodman Cancer Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
FEBS J. 2020 Aug;287(16):3370-3385. doi: 10.1111/febs.15331. Epub 2020 Apr 27.
Adipocyte biology has been intensely researched in recent years due to the emergence of obesity as a serious global health concern and because of the realization that adipose tissue is more than simply a cell type that stores and releases lipids. The plasticity of adipose tissues, to rapidly adapt to altered physiological states of energy demand, is under neuronal and endocrine control. The capacity for white adipocytes to store chemical energy in lipid droplets is key for protecting other organs from the toxic effects of ectopic lipid deposition. In contrast, thermogenic (brown and beige) adipocytes combust macronutrients to generate heat. The thermogenic activity of adipocytes allows them to protect themselves and other tissues from lipid overaccumulation. Advances in brown fat biology have uncovered key molecular players involved in adipocyte determination, differentiation, and thermogenic activation. It is now, well appreciated that three distinct adipocyte types exist: white, beige, and brown. Moreover, functional differences are present within adipocyte subtypes located in anatomically distinct locations. Adding to this complexity is the recent realization from single-cell sequencing studies that adipocyte progenitors are also heterogeneous. Understanding the molecular details of how to increase the number of thermogenic fat cells and their activation may delineate some of the pathophysiological basis of obesity and obesity-related diseases. Here, we review recent advances that have extended our understanding of the central role that adipose tissue plays in energy balance and the mechanisms that control their amount and function.
近年来，由于肥胖成为一个严重的全球健康问题，人们认识到脂肪组织不仅仅是储存和释放脂质的细胞类型，因此对脂肪细胞生物学的研究非常深入。脂肪组织具有很强的可塑性，可以快速适应能量需求变化的生理状态，这种可塑性受神经元和内分泌系统的控制。白色脂肪细胞将化学能量储存在脂质滴中的能力对于保护其他器官免受异位脂质沉积的毒性影响至关重要。相比之下，产热（棕色和米色）脂肪细胞则燃烧大量营养素以产生热量。脂肪细胞的产热活性使它们能够保护自身和其他组织免受脂质过度积累的影响。棕色脂肪生物学的进展揭示了参与脂肪细胞决定、分化和产热激活的关键分子。现在人们已经充分认识到存在三种不同的脂肪细胞类型：白色、米色和棕色。此外，位于解剖位置不同的脂肪细胞亚型之间存在功能差异。增加这种复杂性的是，最近单细胞测序研究的结果表明，脂肪细胞前体细胞也是异质的。了解增加产热脂肪细胞数量及其激活的分子细节，可能可以阐明肥胖和肥胖相关疾病的一些病理生理基础。在这里，我们回顾了最近的进展，这些进展扩展了我们对脂肪组织在能量平衡中所起的核心作用的理解，以及控制其数量和功能的机制。
