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Role Of Mitochondrial Uncoupling Protein 2 (Ucp2) In Modulation Of Adiposity, Xiaocun Sun

Doctoral Dissertations

Obesity is a disorder of energy balance in which energy intake exceeds energy expenditure. Methods to control obesity through limiting energy intake have had limited success, and it is widely recognized that energy expenditure must also be increased if long-term weight loss is to be achieved. Uncoupling proteins (UCPs) are a family of integral membrane proteins of mitochondrial inner membrane, where they uncouple the process of mitochondrial respiration from oxidative phosphorylation, diminishing the resulting production of ATP and decreasing the metabolic efficiency of the organism. Thus, UCPs provide new molecular targets for increasing energy expenditure. Unlike the other UCP family …