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Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
Published in: Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders 1/2022

Open Access 01-02-2022 | Obesity

Leptin as a key regulator of the adipose organ

Authors: Catalina Picó, Mariona Palou, Catalina Amadora Pomar, Ana María Rodríguez, Andreu Palou

Published in: Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders | Issue 1/2022

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Abstract

Leptin is a hormone primarily produced by the adipose tissue in proportion to the size of fat stores, with a primary function in the control of lipid reserves. Besides adipose tissue, leptin is also produced by other tissues, such as the stomach, placenta, and mammary gland. Altogether, leptin exerts a broad spectrum of short, medium, and long-term regulatory actions at the central and peripheral levels, including metabolic programming effects that condition the proper development and function of the adipose organ, which are relevant for its main role in energy homeostasis. Comprehending how leptin regulates adipose tissue may provide important clues to understand the pathophysiology of obesity and related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, as well as its prevention and treatment. This review focuses on the physiological and long-lasting regulatory effects of leptin on adipose tissue, the mechanisms and pathways involved, its main outcomes on whole-body physiological homeostasis, and its consequences on chronic diseases.
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Metadata
Title
Leptin as a key regulator of the adipose organ
Authors
Catalina Picó
Mariona Palou
Catalina Amadora Pomar
Ana María Rodríguez
Andreu Palou
Publication date
01-02-2022
Publisher
Springer US
Keywords
Obesity
Obesity
Published in
Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders / Issue 1/2022
Print ISSN: 1389-9155
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2606
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11154-021-09687-5

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