3D DNA switch in brown fat could reshape obesity and diabetes treatment

Most fat stores energy; the body's brown fat does the opposite. Unlike the white fat that accumulates just under our skin, brown fat burns calories and glucose to generate heat. Formally known as brown adipose tissue, it is a specialized metabolic tissue whose importance in adults has only come into focus in recent years. Brown fat—stored in small, distinct pockets deep within the body—plays an outsized role in body-weight regulation and blood-sugar control, making it an attractive target for metabolic therapies.