Glycolysis in adipose tissue-dependent thermogenesis

Adipose tissue (AT) is one of the largest organs in the body. Three different AT subtypes have been described according to their histological features and physiological roles, which include white (WAT), brown (BAT), and beige. AT responds to a variety of external and internal stimuli to regulate its size and primary functions, which include energy surplus storage at WAT and thermogenesis regulation at beige AT and BAT. Both processes, fuel storage, and thermogenesis rely on glucose, free fatty acids, and branched-chain amino acid metabolism. Therefore, dysregulation in any of these two essential pathways, energy storage and dissipation, can potentially lead to metabolic disorders, including obesity and type 2 diabetes. This chapter summarizes the available data on the role of BAT for nonshivering thermogenesis, highlighting the pathways and limiting steps that have the potential for being used for intervention with the ultimate aim of tackling metabolic disorders.