Leptin
The gene LEP is found in chromosome 7 in humans. It is a protein of 167 amino acids with a four-helix bundle motif similar to that of a cytokine. It is produced mostly in the white adipose tissue. It then circulates in the bloodstream at fluctuating levels, depending on the circumstances of its production. For example, Leptin levels are normally higher at the hours between midnight and early morning; it is assumed that this is to suppress appetite during sleep. Leptin is believed to enter the brain at the choroid plexus, from where it travels to the hypothalamus to meet the majority of its receptors. Leptin interacts with six types of receptors, however, ObRb is the only receptor that can signal intracellularly and is present in hypothalamic
The gene LEP is found in chromosome 7 in humans. It is a protein of 167 amino acids with a four-helix bundle motif similar to that of a cytokine. It is produced mostly in the white adipose tissue. It then circulates in the bloodstream at fluctuating levels, depending on the circumstances of its production. For example, Leptin levels are normally higher at the hours between midnight and early morning; it is assumed that this is to suppress appetite during sleep. Leptin is believed to enter the brain at the choroid plexus, from where it travels to the hypothalamus to meet the majority of its receptors. Leptin interacts with six types of receptors, however, ObRb is the only receptor that can signal intracellularly and is present in hypothalamic