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Nature Cell Biology 7, 543–545 (1 June 2005) | doi:10.1038/ncb0605-543

Fickle factor foils fat fate

Ormond A. MacDougald & Charles F. Burant

Identification of factors that regulate whether mesenchymal precursor cells differentiate into adipocytes is critical for our understanding of adipose tissue development. Adipocytes are represented by two main categories: white fat cells, which act as an energy reservoir and are integral to regulation of whole-body energy metabolism; and brown adipocytes, which dissipate stored energy as heat in response to excess calories or a need for thermogenesis.