Wednesday, January 16, 2019

KNOW YOUR FAT

Adipose tissue is broadly divided into brown and white varieties. Brown fat cells express high levels of thermogenic genes and help maintain body heat by burning calories. Beige fat cells function similarly, but they are not of the brown fat cell lineage. Rather, they develop in white fat, the tissue that we typically think of as “fat.” White fat cells are involved in whole-body energy homeostasis and lipid storage and are found both under the skin and in the abdomen, where they are known as visceral adipose tissue (VAT). It is this type of fat that can help detect and eliminate pathogens as well as maintain immune homeostasis in the gut.

https://www.the-scientist.com/features/belly-fat-has-a-role-to-play-in-fighting-infections-64802

No comments: