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P2. Adipobiology

In the past few decades, obesity has become one of the main causes of death and
Description
disability, therefore threatening many of the achievements that have been obtai-

ned in the health field in the past 100 years. It must be pointed out that obesity is
defined as an excess of fat, not an excess of body weight.

In the past, adipocytes, a component of the adipose tissue, were considered an

inert isolating or damping organ. The scientific data generated in the past few

decades, consisting of fundamental contributions from CIBERobn groups, have re-
volutionised this concept, demonstrating that adipose tissue is a powerful endo-

crine organ capable of secreting hormones regulating body homeostasis and the
appetite, as well as various regulating signals such as adipokine and inflammatory

markers. Determining how this endocrine activity of adipose tissue is regulated

and how this tissue responds to regulating signals is a fundamental activity of
CIBERobn.

There are fundamentally two types of adipose tissue, white adipose tissue and

brown adipose tissue. The two adipose tissues differ in cellular origin and primary

location, as well as in their molecular characteristics, functional characteristics and
physiopathological implications. While brown adipose tissue primarily participates

in thermogenesis, white adipose tissue is the most abundant in adults, forming

the body’s largest reservoir of energy. The profile of the so-called “beige” adipose
tissue has yet to be characterised.

Most of the activity in this subject focuses on understanding the mechanisms of

transdifferentiation which turn white adipose tissue into brown or beige adipose

tissue and vice versa.

Adipose tissue is considered to be an extraordinarily active endocrine organ. The-
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refore, understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms in regulating adipose 0
Objective
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mass and metabolism is key to being able to dig deeper into its operation and con- RT
trol, identifying possible therapeutic targets and preventing obesity.
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