Ghrelin: a metabolic signal affecting the reproductive system.
Ghrelin, an acylated 28 amino acid gastric peptide, was isolated from the stomach as an endogenous ligand for growth hormone (GH) secretagogue receptor in 1999. Circulating ghrelin is mainly produced by specific cells in the stomach's oxyntic glands. Ghrelin potently stimulates GH release and food intake and exhibits diverse effects, including ones on glucose metabolism and on secretion and motility of the gastrointestinal tract. Besides these effects on food intake and energy homeostasis, ghrelin is also involved in controlling reproductive functions, and a role for it as a novel regulator of the hypothalamic-pituitary gonadal axis is clearly emerging. We review recent ghrelin research with emphasis on its roles in the reproductive axis.
Lorenzi
Teresa
T
Department of Molecular Pathology and Innovative Therapies-Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Tronto 10/a, 60020 Ancona, Italy. teresalorenzi@yahoo.it
Meli
Rosaria
R
Marzioni
Daniela
D
Morroni
Manrico
M
Baragli
Alessandra
A
Castellucci
Mario
M
Gualillo
Oreste
O
Muccioli
Giampiero
G
D000818:Animals; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000502:physiology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin / Q000502:physiology; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism
D054439:Ghrelin; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin; D005947:Glucose