Atomic force microscopy characterization of white and beige adipocyte differentiation.

In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim

Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio, AET 1.3681 UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA.

Published: September 2024

AI Article Synopsis

  • Adipose tissue is crucial for metabolism, with white adipose tissue (WAT) regulating energy and brown/beige adipose tissue (BAT) involved in heat production.
  • The study investigates the conversion of white adipocytes to beige ones as a potential metabolism-enhancing therapy, utilizing atomic force microscopy to analyze morphological and mechanical changes during differentiation.
  • Results indicate distinct differences in elasticity and adhesion between white and beige adipocytes as they differentiate, highlighting the need for more understanding in adipocyte transformation to improve therapeutic strategies.

Article Abstract

Adipose tissue plays an essential role in systemic metabolism with white adipose tissue (WAT) making up most of the tissue and being involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis, and brown and beige adipose tissue (BAT) exhibiting thermogenic activity. There is promise in the conversion of white adipocytes into beige ones as a therapeutic potential to control and enhance systemic metabolism, but it is difficult to maintain this transformation in vivo because we do not fully understand the mechanism of conversion. In this study, we applied atomic force microscopy (AFM) to characterize beige or white adipocytes during the process of differentiation for morphology, roughness, adhesion, and elasticity at different time points. As cells differentiated to white and beige adipocytes, they exhibited morphological changes as they lipid loaded, transitioning from flattened elongated cells to a rounded shape indicating adipogenesis. While there was an initial decrease in elasticity for both beige and white adipocytes, white adipocytes exhibited a higher elasticity than beige adipocytes at all time points. Beige and white adipogenesis exhibited a decrease in adhesion energy compared to preadipocytes, yet at day 12, white adipocytes had a significant increase in adhesion energy compared to beige adipocytes. This work shows significant differences in the mechanical properties of white vs. beige adipocytes during differentiation. Results from this study contribute to a better understanding of the differentiation of adipocytes which are vital to the therapeutic induction, engineered models, and maintenance of beige adipocytes as a potential approach for enhancing systemic metabolism.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11626-024-00925-zDOI Listing

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