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Obesity research tools

Cytokines and growth factors that are produced by or have an effect on adipocytes and related peptide neuro-transmitters are central players in energy balance, hunger and satiety (Murphy & Bloom, Nature. 2006).

However, recent evidence shows that adipokines are, more generally, mediators or indicators of inflammation (Fantuzzi, J Allerg Clin Immunol. 2005), playing roles in the development of insulin resistance (Shoelson, et al. J Clin Invest. 2006), diabetes (Tataranni & Ortega. Diabetes. 2005) and many other concomittant health problems associated with obesity, including hypertension, dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis (Van Gaal, et al. Nature. 2006), not to mention increased risk of certain forms of cancer.

This constellation of symptoms are often referred to as "metabolic syndrome", and all are associated with abdominal obesity, characterized by extensive subcutaneous and visceral deposition of white adipose tissue (Deprés and Lemieux. Nature. 2006)

White adipose tissue is by no means an inert fat-storage depot, but could be better characterized as an endocrine organ, mediating complex signals of inflammation to nearby vital organs (Trujillo & Scherer. Endo Rev. 2006)

Understanding the role of endocrine signaling by white adipose tissue, as mediated by adipokines, is critical to understanding and treating the myriad diseases resulting from obesity.

Cytokines and growth factors produced by or affecting the physiology of adipose tissue are increasingly the focus of research projects for obesity-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. In this issue, we focus on the wide range of obesity-related research tools available from RayBiotech.

Profiling:

RayBio Sandwich-based Human Obesity Arrays (Detects 62 adipokines)
Membrane or Glass-Slide Obesity Arrays
RayBio Label-based Human Obesity Array (Detects 182 adipokines)
Membrane or Glass-Slide Obesity Arrays