Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells (hPSCs) into Brown-Like Adipocytes

Stefania Carobbio; Antonio Vidal-Puig

doi:10.1007/978-1-0716-3167-6_1

Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells (hPSCs) into Brown-Like Adipocytes

Methods Mol Biol. 2023:2662:1-9. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3167-6_1.

Authors

Stefania Carobbio^{1

2}, Antonio Vidal-Puig^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Centro de Investigacion Principe Felipe, Valencia, Spain. scarobbio@cipf.es.
² Metabolic Research Laboratories, Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. scarobbio@cipf.es.
³ Centro de Investigacion Principe Felipe, Valencia, Spain. ajv22@medschl.cam.ac.uk.
⁴ Metabolic Research Laboratories, Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. ajv22@medschl.cam.ac.uk.

PMID: 37076666
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3167-6_1

Abstract

Increasing brown adipose tissue (BAT) mass and activation is a therapeutic strategy to prevent and treat obesity and associated complications. Obese and diabetic patients possess less BAT; thus, finding an efficient way to expand their mass is necessary. There is limited knowledge about how human BAT develops, differentiates, and is optimally activated. Accessing human BAT is challenging, given its scarcity and anatomical dispersion. These constraints make detailed BAT-related developmental and functional mechanistic studies in human subjects virtually impossible. We have developed a new chemically defined protocol for differentiating human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into bona fide brown adipocytes (BAs) that overcomes current limitations. This protocol recapitulates step by step the physiological developmental path of human BAT.

Keywords: Development; Developmental path; Differentiation; Human brown adipocytes; Human pluripotent stem cells.

MeSH terms

Adipocytes, Brown
Adipose Tissue, Brown*
Cell Differentiation / physiology
Humans
Obesity
Pluripotent Stem Cells*

Abstract

MeSH terms

Grants and funding