Myl1+ adipose progenitor cells (APCs) support brown adipose tissue (BAT) maintenance in adult mice

Distinct populations of adipose progenitor cells (APCs) have been identified to support BAT development and thermogenesis; however, the division of labor and temporal relationship between different APCs, particularly during adulthood and aging, remain undetermined. Using integrative single-cell analysis and lineage tracing, we identified a distinct population of Myl1-expressing cells that emerge in an age-dependent manner and function as committed BAT progenitors in adult and middle-aged mice.

The blockade of Myl1+ APC differentiation leads to BAT paucity and impaired glucose metabolism in adult mice. Collectively, our results support a progenitor switching model in which distinct APC populations control sequential brown adipogenesis and shape BAT heterogeneity.