lunes, 8 de octubre de 2018

Hormones reveal the secret life of fat cells

Hormones reveal the secret life of fat cells

The Readout

Hormones and fat

Fat cells are responsible for far more than padding our paunches: They secrete hormones that, according to C&EN, affect metabolic health. Now, scientists are targeting these fat-linked hormones — searching for therapeutics that might treat conditions such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and heart disease. 
For instance, Baylor researchers sequenced the genomes of people with a rare disorder that leads to exceedingly low levels of body fat, and found a hormone called asprosin plays a role. The patients carried a gene mutation that made them not produce asprosin — whereas folks with obesity have an excess of asprosin. So the scientists are exploring whether regulating asprosin levels could, perhaps, allow for better weight control. 

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