title: Ghrelin: more than endogenous growth hormone secretagogue.
abstract: Since its discovery 10 years ago, intensive research has been performed on ghrelin. The significance of ghrelin as a growth hormone-releasing hormone, appetite regulator, energy conservator, and sympathetic nerve suppressor has now been well established. In this review, we summarize recent topics on ghrelin, such as the processing protease of the ghrelin precursor, ghrelin O-acyl transaferase, ghrelin knockout and transgenic mice, and the molecular mechanism of ghrelin's orexigenesis.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics, Institute of Life Science, Kurume University, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. mkojima@lsi.kurume-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masayasu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kojima
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kangawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001066:Appetite / Q000502:physiology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000502:physiology*; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone