Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is often considered as a sink for nutrients to generate heat. However, when the complex hormonal and nervous inputs and intracellular signaling networks regulating substrate utilization are considered, BAT appears much more as a tightly controlled rheostat, regulating body temperature and balancing circulating nutrient levels. Here we provide an overview of key regulatory circuits, including the diurnal rhythm, determining glucose, fatty acid, and amino acid utilization and the interdependency of these nutrients in thermogenesis. Moreover, we discuss additional factors mediating sympathetic BAT activation beyond β-adrenergic signaling and the limitations of glucose-based BAT activity measurements to foster a better understanding and interpretation of BAT activity data.

棕色脂肪组织 (BAT) 通常被认为是营养物质产生热量的汇。然而，当考虑复杂的激素和神经输入以及调节底物利用的细胞内信号网络时，BAT 更像是一种严格控制的变阻器，可调节体温并平衡循环营养水平。在这里，我们概述了关键的调节回路，包括昼夜节律、确定葡萄糖、脂肪酸和氨基酸的利用以及这些营养素在产热过程中的相互依赖性。此外，我们讨论了除 β-肾上腺素能信号传导之外介导交感 BAT 激活的其他因素以及基于葡萄糖的 BAT 活动测量的局限性，以促进对 BAT 活动数据的更好理解和解释。