Anti-Ghrelin/GHRL Antibody

This gene encodes the ghrelin-obestatin preproprotein that is cleaved to yield two peptides, ghrelin and obestatin. Ghrelin is a powerful appetite stimulant and plays an important role in energy homeostasis. Its secretion is initiated when the stomach is empty, whereupon it binds to the growth hormone secretagogue receptor in the hypothalamus which results in the secretion of growth hormone (somatotropin) . Ghrelin is thought to regulate multiple activities, including hunger, reward perception via the mesolimbic pathway, gastric acid secretion, gastrointestinal motility, and pancreatic glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. It was initially proposed that obestatin plays an opposing role to ghrelin by promoting satiety and thus decreasing food intake, but this action is still debated. Recent reports suggest multiple metabolic roles for obestatin, including regulating adipocyte function and glucose metabolism. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. In addition, antisense transcripts for this gene have been identified and may potentially regulate ghrelin-obestatin preproprotein expression.

Plays an important role in the regulation of embryonic development, cell proliferation and cell differentiation. Required for normal branching morphogenesis. May play a role in wound healing.

1. Abizaid, A., Liu, Z.-W., Andrews, Z. B., Shanabrough, M., Borok, E., Elsworth, J. D., Roth, R. H., Sleeman, M. W., Picciotto, M. R., Tschop, M. H., Gao, X.-B., Horvath, T. L. Ghrelin modulates the activity and synaptic input organization of midbrain dopamine neurons while promoting appetite. J. Clin. Invest. 116: 3229-3239, 2006. 2. Andrews, Z. B., Liu, Z.-W., Wallingford, N., Erion, D. M., Borok, E., Friedman, J. M., Tschop, M. H., Shanabrough, M., Cline, G., Shulman, G. I., Coppola, A., Gao, X.-B., Horvath, T. L., Diano, S. UCP2 mediates ghrelin's action on NPY/AgRP neurons by lowering free radicals. Nature 454: 846-851, 2008. Note: Erratum: Nature 459: 736 only, 2009. 3. Chartrel, N., Alvear-Perez, R., Leprince, J., Iturrioz, X., Reaux-Le Goazigo, A., Audinot, V., Chomarat, P., Coge, F., Nosjean, O., Rodriguez, M., Galizzi, J. P., Boutin, J. A., Vaudry, H., Llorens-Cortes, C. Comment on 'Obestatin, a peptide encoded by the ghrelin gene, opposes ghrelin's effects on food intake.' Science 315: 766 only, 2007.

At -20°C for one year from date of receipt. After reconstitution, at 4°C for one month. It can also be aliquotted and stored frozen at -20°C for six months. Avoid repeated freezing and thawing.