We've done alot of brown adipose tissue work.  Rodents have a large area of
brown fat dorsal to their scapulas, either called 'hibernating gland' or
'interscapular brown fat'.  It is shaped similar to a butterfly, with 4
lobes instead of wings.  Surrounding the brown fat are pieces of muscle and
white fat.  After removal, hold the section up to the light, to
differentiate white from brown.

Also, there is brown fat located around the thoracic aorta, and a small
amount is in the peri-renal fat.

As for age, we've located it in all animals, whether young or old.

If you have any more questions, please let me know
Barb
Supervisor, Histo/Necropsy
GlaxoWellcome US

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Richard Edwards [SMTP:REE3@leicester.ac.uk]
> Sent:	Friday, November 05, 1999 4:37 AM
> To:	HistoNet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject:	BROWN ADIPOSE TISSUE
>
>
>
>
>  Does  anyone  know where(anatomically) and  when(?age)  to  find   brown
>
> adipose  tissue in  rodents????????????
>                                         Cheers
>                                                  Richard
> Edwards.......MRC TOXICOLOGY UNIT
>
> U.K...........
>
>