The color of fat: Brown, beige, and white
Two distinct types of thermogenic fat cells, brown adipocytes and beige adipocytes, play a key role in the regulation of systemic energy homeostasis in mammals. Both brown fat and beige fat possess thermogenic properties in addition to common morphological and biochemical characteristics, including multilocular lipid droplets and cristae-dense mitochondria. Recent studies also identify distinct features between the two types of thermogenic fat cells, such as their developmental regulation and function. Of particular interest is the role of beige fat in the regulation of glucose homeostasis via UCP1-independent mechanisms. The common and distinct features of thermogenic adipocytes will be discussed.
About the Speaker
Shingo Kajimura received his Ph.D. in Cell & Developmental Biology from the University of Tokyo, where he also earned his B.A. in Biology and Biochemistry and M.S. in Physiology. For his postdoctoral work, he focused on metabolism at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Shingo Kajimura joined the faculty of the University of California, San Francisco in 2011, and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2016.