Definition of Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor

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Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor: A member of the nuclear hormone receptor subfamily of transcription factors. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor is abbreviated as PPAR.

There are 3 known subtypes of PPARs -- PPAR-alpha, PPAR-delta, and PPAR-gamma. The gene for PPAR-gamma is in chromosome band 3p25. It regulates the development of adipocytes (fat cells).

PPAR-gamma also influences the prenatal survival of dizygotic (nonidentical) twins. Twins with the same type of PPAR-gamma may develop at the same pace. However, when the twins are carrying different versions of PPAR-gamma, one twin may develop at the expense of the other.