New insights into the secretory functions of brown adipose tissue

In recent years, an important secretory role of brown adipose tissue (BAT) has emerged, which is consistent, to some extent, with the earlier recognition of the important secretory role of white fat. The so-called brown adipokines or 'batokines' may play an autocrine role, which may either be positive or negative, in the thermogenic function of brown adipocytes. Additionally, there is a growing recognition of the signalling molecules released by...