Figure 1.

The transcriptional network that guides adipogenesis. White adipogenesis (WAT) is controlled through PPARγ-dependent mechanisms. The pro-adipogenic factors—c/EBPα, c/EBPβ, c/EBPγ, and CHOP—activate adipogenesis, while GATA transcription factors act as anti-adipogenic factors. PPARγ up-regulates c/EBPα that, in turn, promotes PPARγ expression. Brown adipocyte differentiation (BAT) is induced by the transcriptional co-regulator PRDM16. In addition, PPARγ co-activators—PGC1α and PGC1β—promote brown adipocyte formation by inhibiting the c/EBP network. In inguinal fat, cold stress and β-adrenergic stimulation directly induce the differentiation of pre-adipocytes in beige/brite adipocytes, while in epididymal fat, the same stimuli promote the formation of the beige/brite adipocytes from bipotent pre-adipocytes able to differentiate also in WAT under excess caloric condition [16].