The development of adipose tissue is a precisely coordinated cellular process, in which both protein-coding and non-coding genes are involved. To characterize the in vivo function of a novel long non-coding RNA (IncRNAs), loss-of-function assays were performed with slincRAD knockdown mice. Down-regulation of slincRAD expression was found to impair the development of adipose tissue, leading to a slim phenotype for both of the male and female mice. Compared to normal adipocytes, slincRAD knockdown cells had defective differentiation features, such as smaller sizes and decreased lipid production. For elder mice, slincRAD knockdown led to abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism. Therefore, a physiologically important IncRNA was characterized in the development of adipose tissue. (C) 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.