A TREK that activates thermogenic adipose tissue by sensing cold air in the lung

Inhaling cold air triggers adipose tissue thermogenesis. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Jiang et al. utilized the cold exposure to lung only (CELO) system to demonstrate that cold air activates lung club cells via TREK-1 potassium channels.¹ Cold exposure closes TREK-1 channels, causing membrane depolarization, which increases irisin production and induces adipose thermogenesis.