brown fat

American  

noun

1. brownish-yellow adipose tissue in the upper back, or interscapular, region of many mammals, most conspicuously in hibernating species and human newborns, composed of numerous innervated fat cells that can produce heat during cold stress; thermogenic tissue.

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brown fat British  

noun

1. tissue composed of a type of fat cell that dissipates as heat most of the energy released when food is oxidized; brown adipose tissue. It is present in hibernating animals and human babies and is thought to be important in adult weight control

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Etymology

Origin of brown fat

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Mitochondria in brown fat can shift from making fuel to generating heat through a molecule called uncoupling protein 1.

From Science Daily

Mice that lacked ACOX2 in their brown fat were less able to tolerate cold, showed lower body temperatures after exposure to cold, and had poorer insulin sensitivity.

From Science Daily

They also used an infrared thermal imaging camera to show that mice lacking ACOX2 produced less heat in their brown fat.

From Science Daily

In contrast, mice genetically engineered to make unusually high amounts of ACOX2 in brown fat showed increased heat production, better cold tolerance and improved insulin sensitivity and weight control when fed the same high-fat diet.

From Science Daily

Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have uncovered a new way that brown fat, a type of fat that burns energy, can boost the body’s metabolism.

From Science Daily