Methods are provided for the rapid and robust screening test agents for adipogenic activity. Agents testing positive in the assays are good candidate agents for wrinkle reduction, normalizing skin appearance after reconstructive or cosmetic surgery, e.g., grafted tissue on burn victims, normalizing skin appearance during and after wound healing, and the like. In certain embodiments the methods involve providing mammalian test cells with adipogenic potential wherein said cells are primed for, but withheld from differentiation into adipocytes; contacting the cells with the test agent(s); and screening said test cells for an adipocyte phenotype wherein the presence of a feature characteristic of an adipocyte is an indicator that said test agent is adipogenic.
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENTAL SUPPORT
[0002] This invention was made with government support under Agreement No. LB09005060 and Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231 awarded by the Department of Energy. The government has certain rights in the invention."
