Obesity, defined as an increase in adipose tissue mass, is the most prevalent nutritional
disorder in industrialized countries and is a growing problem in developing countries. An
increase in adipose tissue mass can be the result of the production of new fat cells through
the process of adipogenesis and/or the deposition of increased amounts of cytoplasmic
triglyceride per cell. Although much has been learned about the differentiation of adipocytes
in vitro, less is known about the molecular basis for the mechanisms regulating …