Hypoxia in Obesity and Diabetes: Potential Therapeutic Effects of Hyperoxia and Nitrate

Table 1

Some characteristics of the three types of adipocytes.

	White adipocytes	Brown adipocytes	Brite or beige adipocytes	References
Origin in adulthood	Mesenchymal; and endothelial precursors	Mesenchymal precursors,; muscle satellite cell, and; endothelial precursors	WAT adipocyte and; endothelial precursors	[12, 14]
Transcription factor	Myf5^− and Tcf21	Myf5^+	Tcf21	[14]
Specific gene expression	Leptin	UCP1 and Zic1	UCP1 and Hoxc9	[12, 20, 21]
Number of; mitochondria	Low	High	High	[12, 13]
Main function	Lipid storage	Heat producer	Heat producer	[12, 13]
Effect on obesity	Obesogenic	Antiobesity	Antiobesity	[13]
Histological phenotype	Large cells with one huge; lipid vacuole	Small cells with several lipid; vacuoles	Small cells with several; lipid vacuoles	[14, 20]
Anatomical description; of fat depots (mice)	Epididymal, mesenteric,; inguinal, retroperitoneal,; and cardiac	Interscapular, axillary, cervical,; and mediastinic	Inguinal, cardiac, and; retroperitoneal	[21]

Hoxc9: homeobox9; Myf5: myogenic factor 5; Tcf21: transcription factor 21; UCP 1: uncoupling protein 1; WAT: white adipose tissue; Zic1: zinc finger protein in cerebellum 1.