Today we know that white and brown adipocytes share many metabolic and molecular pathways, although their physiological function, i.e., energy storage and energy dissipation, respectively, are quite opposite for WAT (white adipose tissue) and BAT (brown adipose tissue). The authors in this book provide a comprehensive volume covering the whole range of topics of adipose biology from morphology to function, development to physiological and molecular regulation and heterogeneity. Their aim is specifically to tie together most recent findings on molecular mechanisms of adipocyte development and gene expression with the most important histological, physiological, and metabolic characteristics of the different adipose tissues.

This book contains the proceedings of the 11 'h international symposium dedicated to the understanding of animal "Life in the Cold," held at Jungholz (Austria), August 13-18, 2000. In 55 chapters contributed by researchers from 16 countries the current state of knowledge is reviewed, and the most recent developments and discussions in this field are highlighted. The first symposium on hibernation and life in the cold was held in 1959, and from then on they continued to occur every 3-5 years. The regular occurrence of these meetings became almost a tradition. A tradition which is entirely based on the enthusiasm of participants, and was nourished by scientific progress in this area during the past decades. The first symposium in 1959 was organised by Charles P. Lyman and Albert R. Dawe and was almost entirely dedicated to hibernation and torpor. This has been a backbone topic of the following symposia, although other aspects of animal energetics, thermal physiology and biochemistry were included in later meetings.

This book gives an up-to-date account of the current knowledge of cold adaptation in animals, including phenomena like hibernation, daily torpor, thermoregulation and thermogenesis, metabolic regulation, freeze tolerance, anaerobiosis, metabolic depression and related processes. For the next four years - until the 12th International Hibernation Symposium - it will serve as a state-of-the-art reference source for every scientist and graduate student working in these areas of physiology and zoology.