Leptin and the lipostat model
The lipostat model proposes that adipose tissue is directly involved in the hormonal regulation of appetite and energy expenditure.
The 'obese' (ob) gene has been cloned in the mouse and human. Leptin is the ob gene product. Leptin is secreted by adipose tissue and results in:
- decreased food intake
- increased energy expenditure
- decreased insulin levels
- decreased cortisol levels
In the ob mouse there are mutations in the ob gene which abolish leptin activity and so interrupt any negative feedback regulation. Ob mice suffer gross obesity and non-insulin dependent diabetes. No similar mutations have been found in humans.
Reference:
- Asai A et al. Leptin production capacity determines food intake and susceptibility to obesity-induced diabetes in Oikawa-Nagao Diabetes-Prone and Diabetes-Resistant mice. Diabetologia. 2020 Sep;63(9):1836-1846.
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