Appropriate cell models are necessary for the investigation of thermogenic beige adipocyte differentiation from progenitor cells. Here, we describe a primary cell culture method that is based on defined progenitor cells from murine white adipose tissue and aims at minimizing confounding factors including cell heterogeneity and nonphysiological differentiation inducers. Adipocyte progenitor cells are enriched by immuno-magnetic separation, expanded minimally, and induced for beige adipocyte differentiation with carbaprostacyclin, a stable analogue of the endogenous mediator PGI2.
Keywords: Adipocyte progenitors; Adipogenic differentiation; Beige adipocytes; Browning; Carbaprostacyclin; Primary cell isolation; Thermogenic adipocytes; cPGI2.