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Fat Finding
03 October 2013

Fat Finding

Obesity can result from more than just laziness and too much chocolate. Problems of the metabolic system – that turns food into energy – can impair the ability to burn calories and lead to weight gain. One key to a healthy metabolism is brown adipose tissue (BAT). Although a type of fat, it prevents obesity by burning up to 20% of our energy, which otherwise could be added to the waistline, to produce body heat. While the role of malfunctioning BAT in obese mice is well-established, studying the human link is hampered by the lack of scanning techniques that can distinguish it from other fat types. A new method, however, can single out BAT (highlighted in yellow) from the surrounding fatty tissue (in red) in mice. If refined for human use, the technique could eventually help to fight the obesity epidemic that affects around 500 million people worldwide.

Written by Jan Piotrowski

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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