Endocrine Abstracts

Adipocytes are cells highly specialized in storing excess energy as neutral lipids in lipid droplets (LDs). These organelles act not only as mere fat reservoirs, but also as active modulators of lipid storage and mobilization in response to hormonal signals. This role is accomplished through a plethora of proteins associated with the LD surface that spatially and temporally coordinate lipid metabolism and traffic on demand. Recently, we have shown that the LD-associated protei...

Adipose tissue is a highly active metabolic organ which, together with its role as an energy storage depot, produces a wide variety of bioactive molecules (i.e. adipokines) with important roles in the regulation of energy metabolism and homeostasis, immunity and inflammation. Alterations in lipid metabolism and/or in adipokine production associated to the excess of adipose tissue that defines obesity or to adipose tissue deficiency, as occurs in lipodystrophy, are linked to in...

It is now widely accepted that the kisspeptins (kps) and their receptor kiss1r play an essential role in the neuroendocrine regulation of the reproductive axis by stimulating hypothalamic GnRH secretion. However, kiss1 and kiss1r expression in tissues distinct from, but related to, the hypothalamus, prompted us to propose that these molecules may exert regulatory functions in additional places of the neuroendocrine system, such as the pituitary and two of its phy...