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Published on: March 29, 2018
Ghrelin is present in teeth
Suleyman Aydin1, Ibrahim Hanefi Ozercan, Hikmet Geckil
1Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Firat University, Medical School (Firat Medical Center), 23119 Elazig, Turkey. saydin1@hotmail.com
Abstract:
Ghrelin belongs to the family of a gut-brain hormone that promotes food intake and controls energy balance. Recently, it has also been shown to regulate bone formation directly. Dental tissue shares several functional, developmental and anatomical similarities with bone, and in the present study we have investigated the presence of ghrelin in 44 human teeth using immunocytochemistry and radioimmunoassay. Both methods showed that the hormone is present in canines and molars, mainly in the odontoblasts but also in the pulp. Ghrelin could potentially play interesting physiological roles in teeth.
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