| Recent inferences in imaging technology describe the presence of metabolically active brown adipose tissue (BAT) in human adults, capable of energy expenditure through thermogenesis mediated by uncoupling protein-1. Activation of functional BAT provides a therapeutic solution to combat obesity. Numerous studies have been done in humans to mine for possible gene targets to elucidate signaling mechanisms that regulate BAT differentiation and thermogenesis. Pharmacological intervention with specific interest in non-adrenergic activation of BAT is a much sought after goal. Notably, solute carriers (SLCs) present as valuable drug targets for cell therapy, yet remain a topic that is largely understudied. Following the establishment of a human stem cell adipocyte culture system, I derived a panel of SLC genes expressed in brown and white adipocytes using microarray profiling. Novel brown and white adipogenic SLC markers offer insights into regulation of substrates for BAT differentiation and thermogenesis, as well as potential targets for pharmacological intervention. |
