The Fat Track: Signals between cells keep creatures lean
Fat is a fact of life for creatures great and small, but researchers know little about why some stem cells transform into fat cells rather than, for example, muscle or bone. Now, a team of researchers has found a clue: A series of signals between cells that is common to insects and mammals appears to influence fat formation.
The finding could offer new avenues for research into treating conditions such as osteoporosis and obesity. It also supports biologists’ use of the simple fruit fly as a model for mammals in fat research.