中文摘要：

褐色脂肪细胞通过其线粒体内膜解偶联蛋白（uncoupling protein 1,UCP1）的解偶联作用,将能量以热量的形式释放出来,在维持机体的能量代谢平衡中发挥了关键作用。存在于皮下脂肪组织中的某些白色脂肪细胞也能够诱导UCP1的高表达,这种现象被称为＂米色化＂。miRNAs是一种小的非编码RNA,可通过直接降解mRNA或抑制其翻译来调控靶基因的表达,参与了多种生物学过程。miRNAs通过对褐色脂肪细胞分化和产热相关基因的表达调控,在褐色脂肪细胞的分化和功能维持上起了重要作用。同时,研究也发现了某些miRNAs在白色脂肪细胞的米色化中起到了重要作用。对miRNAs在褐色脂肪细胞的分化调控、功能维持以及在白色脂肪细胞米色化中的作用和机制的最新研究进展进行综述。

英文摘要：

Brown adipocytes play an essential role in maintaining energy homeostasis through uncoupling protein 1 （UCP1）. UCP1 is a protein localized at the inner membrane of mitochondria and dissipates the proton gradient before it can be used to generate ATP, thereby the energy is released as heat instead of stored as ATE Recent studies discovered that there is inducible UCP1 expression in the subcutaneous white adipose tissue in response to cold exposure or β-adrenergic receptor activation, a phenomenon known as ＂browning＂. microRNAs are a class of short non-coding RNAs that regulate target gene expression through mRNA degradation or post-translational repression, and involved in a variety of biological processes, such as cellular differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis and metabolism. Recently, some miRNAs have been reported to play essential roles in regulating differentiation process and function of brown adipocytes or browning of white adipocytes through targeting related transcription factors. This paper reviewed the latest progresses of the miRNAs that are involved in brown adipocyte differentiation and function as well as the browning process of the white adipocytes, and highlighted the molecular mechanisms underlying the actions of miRNAs.