The hormones leptin, adiponectin, and resistin are produced by adipose tissue. Of these hormones, we know the most about leptin, but it too is only a recent discovery (1994) and research has yet to uncover all this molecules hormonal roles. The role of the other listed "adipose hormones" is still even more speculative. (More? see Meier and Gressner, 2004)
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White Adipose |
Brown Adipose |
(Images: Lutz Slomianka, UWA Blue Histology) |
The two forms of adipose are white and brown adipose tissue. Brown adipose is found in newborns (2 - 5 % of the body weight) and can be used to dissipate stored energy as heat (thermogenesis), while adults have mainly white adipose.
Page Links: Introduction | Some Recent Findings | Reading | Leptin | Adiponectin | Resistin | Gestational Diabetes Mellitus | References | Glossary
Other Pages: Musculoskeletal Development - Adipose
O'connor DM, Blache D, Hoggard N, Brookes E, Wooding FB, Fowden AL, Forhead AJ. Developmental control of plasma leptin and adipose leptin mRNA in the ovine fetus during late gestation: role of glucocorticoids and thyroid hormones. Endocrinology. 2007 May 10;
Pirc LK, Owens JA, Crowther CA, Willson K, De Blasio MJ, Robinson JS. Mild gestational diabetes in pregnancy and the adipoinsular axis in babies born to mothers in the ACHOIS randomised controlled trial. BMC Pediatr. 2007 Apr 12;7:18.
Hauguel-de Mouzon S, Lepercq J, Catalano P. The known and unknown of leptin in pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2006 Jun;194(6):1537-45.
"Observational studies have established that leptin production is dysregulated in several pathologic stages of pregnancy in association with alterations of fetal growth. For example, an overproduction of leptin by the placenta in pregnancy with diabetes mellitus or hypertension is associated with maternal hyperleptinemia. Evidence is also accumulating that umbilical leptin levels can be viewed as a biomarker of fetal adiposity."
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Leptin was discovered in 1994, named from the Greek word "leptos", meaning thin. This is a polypeptide hormone produced in adipose and many other tissues with also many different roles related to the inhibition of food intake and stimulation of energy expenditure. In embryology, its levels are associated with fertility and reproductive maturity in many species. There are several additional hormonal roles in the adult including satiety, adiposity, and metabolism. |
Links: OMIM - Leptin |
Adiponectin (ADIPOQ) a 244 amino acid secretory protein hormone involved in regulation of energy homeostasis and glucose and lipid metabolism, as well as acting as an anti-inflammatory on the vascular wall.
Has a postulated role in suppressing the development of atherosclerosis and liver fibrosis and also as an anti-inflammatory hormone.
Links: OMIM - Adiponectin | OMIM - Adiponectin Receptor 1 | OMIM - Adiponectin Receptor 2 |
Resistin (for resistance to insulin, RETN) a 108 amino acid polypeptide and the related resistin-like protein-beta (Resistin-like molecule-beta, RELMbeta) stimulate endogenous glucose production. Therefore increased adiposity can cause an insulin resistance, subsequently has a postulated role in fat and gut modulation of hepatic insulin action.
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Results from a recent study on vitamin C on resistin levels. Bo S, Ciccone G, Durazzo M, Gambino R, Massarenti P, Baldi I, Lezo A, Tiozzo E, Pauletto D, Cassader M, Pagano G. Efficacy of antioxidant treatment in reducing resistin serum levels: a randomized study. PLoS Clin Trials. 2007 May 4;2(5):e17. |
Antioxidant treatment alteration (reduction) of resistin serum levels. |
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A recent study (Lappask etal., 2005) has compared the levels of adipose hormones in normal and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) complicated pregnancies. In fetal tissue (placenta, amnion and choriodecidua) for the normal pregnancy they found higher levels of the adipose hormones than in GDM. In maternal tissues (adipose tissue and skeletal muscle) for the GDM pregnancy women have higher leptin than in normal women. (More? Abnormal Development - Gestational Diabetes | Abnormal Development - Maternal Diabetes | Endocrine Pancreas | Lappask etal., 2005) |
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Page under development (update completed when this notice removed).
This page discusses the role of adipose tissue as an endocrine tissue. Recently a number of hormones and receptors have been associated with adipose tissue and the general regulation of body mass (adiposity).
Recent research has also pointed to a relationship between fat tissue and the immune system.
Please email Dr Mark Hill if you wish to make a comment about this current project.
