Energy balance

Treatment with Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 (BMP7) induces tissue-resident progenitor cells in skeletal muscle and subcutaneous white fat to differentiate into brown adipocytes expressing UCP1, thereby increasing energy expenditure.

This research identifies a specific protein (BMP7) that can turn fat-storing cells in your muscles and subcutaneous fat into energy-burning brown fat cells. While this is currently a laboratory finding in mice and cell cultures, it suggests that future therapies might target these specific progenitor cells to treat obesity by increasing your body's natural energy expenditure.