New gene influences apple or pear shape, risk of future disease

(Duke University) It's known that people who carry a lot of weight around their bellies are more likely to develop diabetes and heart disease than those who have bigger hips and thighs. But what hasn't been clear is how fat accumulates in different places to produce these classic 'apple' and 'pear' shapes. Now, researchers have discovered that a gene called Plexin D1 in zebrafish controls both where fat is stored and how fat cells are shaped.