Ligand binding to the insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptors activates the tyrosine kinase pathway. The unoccupied receptors can also generate signals that activate noncanonical pathways, which are poorly known. A new study reveals that expression of paternally and maternally imprinted genes and microRNAs is dowregulated in brown preadipocytes lacking both of the receptors. Inactivation of the insulin receptor has similar effects in mouse embryonic fibroblasts and in mouse brown adipose tissue in vivo.