Question

In vertebrate animals, brown fat tissue's color is due to abundant blood vessels and capillaries. White fat tissue, on the other hand, is specialized for fat storage and contains relatively few blood vessels or capillaries. Brown fat cells have a specialized protein that dissipates the proton-motive force across the mitochondrial membranes. Which of the following might be the function of the brown fat tissue?

A) to increase the production of ATP
B) to allow other membranes of the cell to perform mitochondrial functions
C) to allow the animals to regulate their metabolic rate when it is especially hot
D) to increase the rate of oxidative phosphorylation from its few mitochondria
E) to regulate temperature by converting most of the energy from NADH oxidation to heat

Answer 1

A) to increase the production of ATP

Step-by-step explanation:

Brown fat cells have numerous mitochodria that have the uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1). This protein is used to dissipate the proton-motive force generating heat (becomes important during cold temperatures) and uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation.