TABLE 2.

Gene Function and RT-PCR Expression Primers^a

Gene	Function	Primer Sequence
Adiponectin	Protein hormone secreted by adipose tissue, increases fatty acid oxidation and insulin sensitivity	Forward: GCAGTCTGTGGTTCTGATTCCATAC Reverse: GCCCTTGAGTCGTGGTTTCC
PPARγ	Nuclear receptor that acts as transcription factor, activates adipogenesis, increases insulin sensitivity	Forward: GCAGTCTGTGGTTCTGATTCCATAC Reverse: GCCCTTGAGTCGTGGTTTCC
FABP4	Cytoplasmic protein found in adipocytes that binds lipids, involved in lipid transport and metabolism	Forward: ATGGGATGGAAAATCAACCA Reverse: TGCTTGCTAAATCAGGGAAAA
CEBP	Transcription factor, promotes adipocyte proliferation and differentiation	Forward: ATGGGATGGAAAATCAACCA Reverse: TGCTTGCTAAATCAGGGAAAA
Leptin	Protein hormone secreted by adipocytes acts on brain to inhibit hunger/food intake	Forward: AGGGAGACCGAGCGCTTTC Reverse: TGCATCTCCACACACCAAACC
CD36	Scavenger receptor found on adipocytes involved in import of lipids and adipocyte differentiation	Forward: GGGAAAGTCACTGCGACATGAT Reverse: ACGTCGGATTCAAATACAGCATAGA
UCP-1	Mitochondrial protein that disrupts electron transport chain and produces heat, marker of brown fat	Forward: GTGTGCCCAACTGTGCAATG Reverse: CCAGGATCCAAGTCGCAAGA
PRDM-16	Transcription regulator that displays histone methyltransferase activity and activates brown fat phenotype	Forward: CCACCAGCGAGGACTTCA Reverse: GGAGGACTCTCGTAGCTCGAA
MTUS-1	Tumor suppressor protein, promotes brown fat differentiation	Forward: GGCATAGCTGGCCAAACAA Reverse: CACTTGGGAGAAGGCTTAGAATAAA
EVA-1	Cell adhesion protein, expressed in white fat	Forward: GATGCCTCCATCCTTCTCTG Reverse: TTCCGGTAATGCTGGAAGAG
ZIC1	Zinc-finger protein, brown fat marker	Forward: GGGAGAAGCCCTTCAAGTGCGAGTTTGAGGG Reverse: CGCAGGGTTCTTTCAGTAATGTTGTGTATAC
KCNK3	Potassium channel protein, brown fat marker	Forward: GCAGACGCAGCCGCAGTATG Reverse: GCCTGGCCGTTGTGCGTGAGCAGGG
COL1A	Major component of type 1 collagen	Forward: CCATGCTCGCCTTTCTGCTCCTTT Reverse: CACTTGGGTGTTTGAGCATTGCCT
COL3A	Major component of type 3 collagen	Forward: TTGGCAGCAACGACACAGAAACTG Reverse: TTGAGTGCAGGGTCAGCACTACTT
αSMA	Protein that forms microfilaments, expressed in fibroblasts	Forward: TGCCTGCATGGGCAAGTGA Reverse: CTGGGCAGCGGAAACGGCA
F288	Follistatin isoform, inhibits TGF-(b and myostatin, promotes myogenesis	Forward: CTCTGCCAGTTCATGGAGGA Reverse: TCCTTGCTCAGTTCGGTCTT
F315	Follistatin isoform, inhibits TGF-(b and myostatin, promotes myogenesis	Forward: TGGACCGAGGAGGACGTGAA Reverse: AGACGCAGCGGGGTTTGTTC
IGF-1	Growth hormone secreted by liver, increases glucose uptake, protein synthesis	Forward: GGCATAGCTGGCCAAACAA Reverse: CACTTGGGAGAAGGCTTAGAATAAA

^aRT-PCR, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; TGF, transforming growth factor.