Patho-physiological conditions with high oxidative stress, such as conditions associated with increased denatured heme-proteins, are associated with enhanced adipogenic response. This effect predominantly manifests as adipocyte hypertrophy characterized by dysfunctional, proinflammatory adipocytes exhibiting reduced expression of anti-inflammatory hormone, adiponectin. To understand how increased levels of cellular heme, a pro-oxidant molecule, modulates adipogenesis; the following study was designed to evaluate effects of heme on adipogenesis in human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and mouse pre-adipocytes (3T3L1). Experiments were conducted in the absence and in the presence of a superoxide dismutase mimetic (tempol, 100μM). Heme (10μM) increased (p