title: Ghrelin in pathological conditions.
abstract: The recently identified gastric hormone ghrelin was initially described as a natural Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor ligand. Apart from ghrelin's first discovered action, which was the stimulation of Growth Hormone release, implications for many other functions have been reported. It seems that ghrelin exhibits an important role in conditions related to processes regulating nutrition, body composition and growth, as well as heart, liver, thyroid or kidney dysfunction. In this review, current available knowledge about ghrelin's role in various pathological conditions is presented.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Physiology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: Simoni A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Katergari
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Milousis
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pagonopoulou
authors.forename: Byron
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Asimakopoulos
authors.forename: Nikos K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Nikolettos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000209:etiology; D004194:Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000502:physiology*; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D013006:Growth Hormone