FIGURE 2.

Complex communication at the adipocyte/innervation interface Schematic diagram showing the neuronal axis from central nervous system (1) via sympathetic nerve (2) to the differential innervation density (3) of adipocytes. Sympathetic activity and adrenergic signal transduction (4 and 5) are actively involved to modulate innervation density and adipocyte status (6) from brown adipocytes (either in interscapular brown adipose tissue or beige islands of interscapular white adipose tissue) to white adipocytes. Vice versa innervation density is dependent on adipocyte status. Thus the highlighted complex communication interface for neuron/adipocyte shows an emerging concept that modulations at any level in this axis will impact innervation density and adipocyte status accordingly [7: humoral response; 8: cross talk].