Fluorescent Genetic Tools for Studying Brown Fat Development and Function in Mice

Methods Mol Biol. 2022:2448:203-215. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2087-8_13.

Abstract

Techniques to trace and isolate brown adipocyte precursor and adipocytes during development and disease are essential to fully understand brown adipose tissue development and function. Here we report several protocols using the R26R-mTmG reporter mice in thermogenic tissues based on confocal microscopy and fluorescence based flow cytometry. These techniques may be useful to understand the influence of genetic or environmental alterations in brown adipocyte precursors and adipocyte biology.

Keywords: Adipocyte precursor cells; Clearing; Confocal microscopy; Development; Flow cytometry; Immunofluorescence; Lineage tracing; mTmG.

MeSH terms

  • Adipocytes, Brown*
  • Adipogenesis
  • Adipose Tissue, Brown*
  • Animals
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Mice
  • Thermogenesis / genetics