Figure 7
From: Optical visualisation of thermogenesis in stimulated single-cell brown adipocytes
ERthermAC forms a contiguous thermometer in the immediate mitochondrial vicinity by targeting the endoplasmic reticulum. Temperature difference (ΔT [K]) is proportional to the power of the heat source (P [W]), and inversely proportional to the distance (L [m]) from the centre of the heat source and the thermal conductivity surrounding the heat source (κ [W m−1 K−1]). Mitochondria-associated ER membrane in adipocytes provides sufficiently close proximity of these two organelles, thus placing ERthermAC into the extensive endoplasmic network and creating an extended contiguous thermometer in the immediate mitochondrial vicinity through targeting of a yet unknown biomolecule. This process is unaffected by radical environmental changes in mitochondria. ER: endoplasmic reticulum; IMM: inner mitochondrial membrane; OMM: outer mitochondrial membrane; UCP1: uncoupling protein 1.
