New Discoveries in Human Brown Adipose Tissue

The global obesity pandemic results from an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. Key organs in this disequilibrium are the two distinct types of fat, white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT). WAT is specialized for energy storage but in excess produces obesity. In contrast, BAT is responsible for energy expenditure via thermogenesis. Until two years ago, it was thought by many that human BAT did not exist, let alone have a physiological function. Then, several seminal papers proved that human BAT has a prominent role in human metabolism. Active BAT can be monitored dynamically via PET/CT in vivo, and it protects against cold exposure. In addition, the prevalence of detectable BAT has a female:male predominance of >2:1 and correlates inversely with age and BMI, raising the possibility that BAT could be used for weight loss. Building on this foundation, the last two years have witnessed significant advances in our understanding of human BAT. This talk will review the new discoveries in BAT physiology, imaging, and the role it could play in treating obesity.