Abstract

BASAIN VALDES, José María et al. Role of leptin as afferent signal of energy homeostasis regulation. Rev Cubana Pediatr [online]. 2016, vol.88, n.1. ISSN 0034-7531.

Obesity is a chronic disease characterized by a pathological rise of body fat generated by an imbalance between energy input and output. This energy excess is stored in the adipose tissue which not only stores lipids but also secretes numerous hormones and represents the biggest endocrine organ of the human body. Unlike other endocrine glands, it has a variable mass and may gradually increase or decrease its size depending on age, food intake, physical activity, perinatal scheduling and genetic predisposition. Among the secreted factors are leptin which participates in the regulation of energy balance and the gonadotropin secretions. The objective of this literature review was to describe the role of leptin as afferent signal in the regulation of energy homeostasis; its importance as one of the mechanisms involved in obesity pathogenesis was underlined.

Keywords : leptin; adipose tissue; energy homeostasis.

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