Heat generation and fat cells

The enzyme creatine kinase (CK) and its substrates creatine and phosphocreatine emerged are involved in the way fat cells generate heat and thus burn calories. This is of prime interest for treating obesity, a world-wide threat to public health. Cellular heat generation mostly happens by so-called metabolic futile cycles, equivalent to short circuits in an electrical system. In this opinion paper, we propose that CK and its substrates work as an energy transmission system to fuel futile calcium-cycling. This is the inaugural contribution to “Point and Counterpoint” , a new article type of the American Journal of Physiology.

Wallimann TA, Tokarska-Schlattner M, Kay L, Schlattner U. (2020) Role of creatine and creatine kinase in UCP1-independent adipocyte thermogenesis. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. (online ahead of print).