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Loose coupling of thermogenic mitochondria of brown adipose tissue is related to a high proton (or hydroxyl) conductance of the inner membrane and to the presence of a unique 32 kDa uncoupling protein. Reconstitution experiments of the purified protein in liposomes are reported which suggest that this component could form proton channels in the membrane.
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Bouillaud et al. (1983) studied this question.
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