Adipose tissue development and metabolic regulation

White adipose tissue (WAT) is the primary energy storage organ and its excess contributes to obesity, while brown adipose tissue (BAT) and inducible thermogenic (beige/brite) adipocytes in WAT dissipate energy via UCP1 to maintain body temperature. Adipose tissues can develop during embryogenesis and after birth depending on anatomical origin. In adipose tissue, differentiation of adipose precursors to adipocytes is governed by transcription factors such as PPARγ, C/EBPβ, Zfp423, and Sox9 and this process is tightly regulated by secreted factors including Pref-1 and Wnt. Additionally, thermogenic gene activation in brown and beige adipocytes relies on common transcriptional machinery that includes PRDM16, Zfp516, Zc3h10, and LSD1, play an important role in regulating the thermogenic gene program. These transcription factors actions are also regulated by metabolites that acts as agonists or cofactor. With the presence of BAT-like tissues in human adults, increasing thermogenic activity these tissues may help to combat obesity.