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Title: beta. -Adrenergic stimulation of brown adipocyte proliferation

Journal Article · · American Journal of Physiology; (USA)
OSTI ID:6945415
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Laval Univ., Quebec City (Canada) Laboratoire de Thermoregulation et Metabolisme Energetique, Lyon (France)

The mechanisms of brown adipose tissue (BAT) growth were studied by quantitative photonic radioautography using tritiated thymidine to follow mitotic activity. To identify the nature of the adrenergic pathways mediating brown adipocyte proliferation and differentiation, the effects of cold exposure (4 days at 4{degree}C) on BAT growth were compared with those induced by treating rats at 25{degree}C with norepinephrine (a mixed agonist), isoproterenol (a {beta}-agonist), and phenylephrine (an {alpha}-agonist). Norepinephrine mimicked the effects of cold exposure, not only on the mitotic activity, but also on the distribution of the labeling among the various cellular types. Isoproterenol entirely reproduced the effects of norepinephrine both on the labeling index and on the cellular type labeling frequency. These results demonstrate that norepinephrine triggers a coordinated proliferation of brown adipocytes and endothelial cells in warm-exposed rats that is similar to that observed after cold exposure. They also suggest that cold exposure stimulates BAT growth by increasing the release of norepinephrine from sympathetic nerves and that the neurohormone activates mitoses in BAT precursor cells via {beta}-adrenergic pathways.

OSTI ID:
6945415
Journal Information:
American Journal of Physiology; (USA), Vol. 254:1; ISSN 0002-9513
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English