Endocrine Abstracts

Leptin and adiponectin are cytokine-like hormones secreted by white adipose tissue. Plasma leptin correlates closely with total body fat mass, and its secretion is positively regulated by insulin in vivo and in vitro. Hypoleptinaemia is a key centrally-mediated orexigenic stimulus. Plasma adiponectin, in contrast, correlates negatively with whole body fat mass and insulin resistance in adults, and its expression is regulated negatively by insulin in vivo a...