Identification of adipose NG2+ cells as a novel bipotent precursor of pericytes and adipocytes

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Brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissue (WAT) are the two major mammalian fat tissues that have evolved to adapt to various environmental challenges by developing specialized metabolic functions. While BAT generates heat through non-shivering thermogenesis, WAT stores excess energy or releases lipid in response to metabolic demand, playing an essential role in metabolic homeostasis. The overall goal of my research group is to understand the mechanisms of adipose plasticity by which adipose tissues adapt to environmental and metabolic challenges. Prolonged energy surplus often requires new adipocyte generation (adipogenesis) from the progenitor reservoir with concomitant new vessel formation (angiogenesis). Recent studies have shown that adipocyte precursor cells reside within the WAT in the proximity of the adipose vasculature, suggesting the interplay of adipogenesis in coordination with angiogenesis. Yet, a basic understanding of how these dynamic processes are regulated is still unclear. Interestingly, our recent data suggests that Neural-Glial antigen-2 positive (NG2+) cells contribute to both white adipocytes and vascular pericytes, cells that are involved in new vessel formation, suggesting a key regulatory role of NG2+ cells in both adipogenesis and angiogenesis. Therefore, in the current proposal, we propose to characterize the developmental potential of adipose NG2+ cells and their functional contribution to both adipocytes and vascular pericytes by utilizing flow cytometry and fate mapping mouse genetic models in combination with cutting-edge imaging and sequencing technologies. This project will not only advance our understanding of the molecular mechanism of adipose plasticity, but it will also provide an ideal research training program for our HQPs.