In Vitro Differentiation of Beige/Brown Adipocytes for the Treatment of Metabolic Diseases

Abstract

Brown adipose tissue is responsible for non-shivering thermogenesis, controlling temperature regulation in newborns and childhood, and then in adults under cold conditions. However, its physiological functions are broader and include endocrine functions, regulation of glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity, as well as triglyceride clearance. BAT activity is inversely correlated with body mass index (BMI), and cold-induced thermogenesis is significantly lower in people with excess weight and obesity. Therefore, brown adipocyte transplantation represents a new perspective for the treatment of diabetes, obesity and their cardiovascular and metabolic consequences. Several strategies have been designed to obtain brown adipocytes in vitro, notably based on the differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). In this chapter, we review the latest findings on the embryonic development of the different adipocyte lineages, which have laid the foundations for PSCs differentiation protocols. We discuss the most recent technologies and their limitations, and the pharmacological approaches to stimulate brown adipocyte activity in vivo.