Laser-scanning cytometry can quantify human adipocyte browning and proves effectiveness

Laser-scanning cytometry is presented as a tool allowing population scale analysis of ex vivo human brown adipogenic differentiation. It combines texture analysis and detection of Ucp1 protein content in single brown adipocytes of mixed cell populations with gene expression pattern and functional characteristics of browning. Using this method we could validate mouse data in human samples demonstrating the effectiveness of irisin to induce “beige” differentiation of subcutaneous white adipocytes. The importance of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in controlling the energy homeostasis of mice and also the adult human body has become increasingly evident in the past few years, highlighting the possibility of therapeutic application of BAT stimulation in the treatment of obesity and diabetes mellitus 1 . Recent studies focused on BAT differentiation in mouse models found that there are at least two different types