Glucagon and the glucagon-like peptides.
Glucagon and the glucagon-like peptides are encoded within a larger precursor, proglucagon. The proglucagon gene is expressed in the pancreas, intestine, and brain, giving rise to a single proglucagon mRNA transcript that is identical in all tissues. Tissue-specific posttranslational processing of proglucagon accounts for the different molecular forms of the glucagon-related peptides present in each tissue. Glucagon-like peptide I has been demonstrated to have potent insulinotropic properties, but the biological importance of other glucagon-related peptides remains unclear. The recent advances that have increased our understanding of the biology of glucagon and the glucagon-like peptides are reviewed.
Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada.
D J
DJ
Drucker
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D005934:Glucagon / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D004763:Glucagon-Like Peptides; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D052336:Proglucagon; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational
D010455:Peptides; D011498:Protein Precursors; D052336:Proglucagon; D004763:Glucagon-Like Peptides; C015236:glucagon-like-immunoreactivity; D005934:Glucagon