Adipocyte-based high throughput screening for anti-obesity drug discovery: Current status and future perspectives

Abstract

Drug discovery for obesity treatment, particularly bodily slimming, is a topic of timely importance that requires continued investigation, as the current therapies have limited efficacy with many adverse effects. Obesity is associated with adipose tissue expansion, where the size and number of adipocytes increase. Over the past few decades, high-throughput/content screening (HTS/HCS) has been carried out on morphological changes in adipose tissues and adipocytes for the development of anti-obesity therapies. Increased understating of current adipocyte-based HTS/HCS technology will facilitate drug screening for obesity and weight control.

Keywords: Adipocytes; Drug discovery; High content screening; High throughput screening; Obesity.