This program supports research that investigates different aspects of the life cycle of adipocytes, as well as the cellular make up and signaling characteristics of various fat depots. Included in this program are tissue culture and rodent studies of the commitment of progenitor cells to the adipocyte lineage, regulation of adipocyte differentiation, and fat tissue turnover and remodeling. Examples of areas of interest include:
- Transcription factors that regulate adipocyte commitment and differentiation
- Consequences of insulin action on adipocyte physiology
- Growth factors, lipids, extracellular matrix components that influence the metabolic or proliferative states of cells in a particular fat depot
- Regulation of adipokine and cytokine secretion by adipocytes
For more information, contact Dr. Carol Renfrew Haft, Senior Advisor for Cell Biology, Associate Director for Grants Administration.
