Inner Workings Of Molecular Thermostat Point To Pathways To Fight Diabetes, Obesity

Best known as the oxygen-carrying component of **hemoglobin**, the protein that makes blood red, **heme** also plays a role in chemical detoxification and energy metabolism within the cell. Heme levels are tightly maintained, and with good reason: Too little heme prevents cell growth and division; excessive amounts of heme are toxic. Understanding the control of heme levels is likely to be relevant to several diseases. For example, **obesity** is a condition where fat tissue builds up due to low energy expenditure relative to energy intake. **Proteins** such as Rev-erbα that help maintain a cell’s proper metabolism and energy balance point to their role in such metabolic disorders as obesity and diabetes and suggest ways to intervene. More on "Sciencedaily":[ http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090911114302.htm]

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