Molecular physiology of weight regulation in mice and humans

Evolutionary considerations relating to efficiency in reproduction, and survival in hostile environments, suggest that body energy stores are sensed and actively regulated, with stronger physiological and behavioral responses to loss than gain of stored energy. Many physiological studies support thi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International Journal of Obesity 2008-12, Vol.32 (S7), p.S98-S108
Main Author: Leibel, R L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adipose Tissue - physiology
Animals
Bioenergetics
Body composition
Body fat
Body weight
Body Weight - genetics
Body Weight - physiology
Brain - physiology
Cloning
Diabetes
Energy
Energy metabolism
Energy Metabolism - genetics
Energy Metabolism - physiology
Epidemiology
Evaluation
Exercise
Genetic aspects
Genetics
Health aspects
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Homeostasis
Homeostasis - genetics
Homeostasis - physiology
Humans
Hypothalamus
Internal Medicine
Leptin - genetics
Leptin - physiology
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Metabolic Diseases
Mice
Molecular biology
Neuroendocrinology
Obesity
Physiological responses
Physiology
Public Health
Receptors, Leptin - genetics
Receptors, Leptin - physiology
review
Surgeons
Weight control
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Summary:Evolutionary considerations relating to efficiency in reproduction, and survival in hostile environments, suggest that body energy stores are sensed and actively regulated, with stronger physiological and behavioral responses to loss than gain of stored energy. Many physiological studies support this inference, and suggest that a critical axis runs between body fat and the hypothalamus. The molecular cloning of leptin and its receptor—projects based explicitly on the search for elements in this axis—confirmed the existence of this axis and provided important tools with which to understand its molecular physiology. Demonstration of the importance of this soma-brain reciprocal connection in body weight regulation in humans has been pursued using both classical genetic approaches and studies of physiological responses to experimental weight perturbation. This paper reviews the history of the rationale and methodology of the cloning of leptin ( Lep ) and the leptin receptor ( Lepr ), and describes some of the clinical investigation characterizing this axis.
ISSN:0307-0565
1476-5497
DOI:10.1038/ijo.2008.245