The burgeoning prevalence of obesity, affecting approximately one-third of adults, represents a profound challenge in modern health care, fostering co-morbidities such as diabetes, fatty liver, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular diseases. Recent discoveries have underscored the critical roles of brown and beige adipocytes. These adipocytes, capable of activating thermogenesis in response to various stimulations, represent promising targets for metabolic health interventions. Recent animal studies have demonstrated that activating these fat types can mitigate the effects of obesity-induced ailments, providing a compelling basis for deeper research.
This Research Topic aims to consolidate current research that delves into the molecular mechanisms of brown and beige adipocytes, understanding their therapeutic potential in metabolic disease contexts. It seeks contributions that could bridge the translational gap, bringing insights from basic science to potential clinical applications.
The primary focus is on expanding the understanding of the biological and therapeutic roles of brown and beige adipose tissues. We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Molecular mechanisms of brown and beige adipose tissue development
• Translational potential of brown and beige adipose tissue in targeting human metabolic diseases like obesity and diabetes
• Organ tissue interaction between brown/beige fat and other organs such as liver, brain, muscle, and islets
• Role of tissue immune cells in brown and beige fat activation
• Sympathetic innervation and brain-fat communications impacting brown and beige fat activation.
Keywords: Obesity, Thermogenesis, Brown adipocyte, Beige adipocyte, UCP1
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
