In the human neonate, BAT is found in the interscapular region as is the case with hibernating mammals. During childhood this BAT dissappears.
However, in search for metastasis,18-FluoroDeoxyGlucose (18-FDG) was injected in adult cancer patients. By accident, BAT tissue in the human adult was detected in PET/CT scans because BAT-mitochondria metabolizes the tracer.
(*) Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2002 Oct;29(10):1393-8. Epub 2002 Aug 8.
Brown adipose tissue: a factor to consider in symmetrical tracer uptake in the neck and upper chest region.
Hany TF1, Gharehpapagh E, Kamel EM, Buck A, Himms-Hagen J, von Schulthess GK.
Dear colleague, it is clear that adult brown adipose tissue content is minimal in comparison to the children (in percent values from body mass). However, in the adult human there are significant depots of brown adipose tissue: cervical; supraclavicular; paravertebral; paranephral; mediastinal. Here are some references:
http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/58/7/1526.full.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2859951/pdf/nihms143488.pdf
http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMoa0808949
http://ajpendo.physiology.org/content/ajpendo/293/2/E444.full.pdf
Working with rats' adipose tissue I also know that in an adult rat interscapular BAT depot is rather large. However, I am not sure that this is similar in human subjects.
The primary functional property is UCP1 expression:
http://physrev.physiology.org/content/physrev/84/1/277.full.pdf
Thank you very much Alexey :-).
The cited articles are up to the point, I enjoyed them. I red the first four, and need some time more for the last reference, which is a concise book about the subject compiling all data. I appreciate your effort very much!
I wrote an article on thermoregulatory aspects of acupoints, on subjects of thermogenesis (BAT as effector organ), central generators for heat dissipation (cutaneous vasodilatation) and heat conservation (cut. vasoconstriction) and fever. I was looking for supplementary info on that subject. Thank you!
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