Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Regulation of Food Intake

Regulation of Food Intake

Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...

Hormonal Regulation

Hormonal Regulation

Hormones regulate a significant portion of digestion through activation of the neuroendocrine system. The neuroendocrine system of digestion contains many different hormones all with multiple functions that are both, directly and indirectly, involved in digestion.

Hormonal Regulation

Hormonal Regulation

The renin-aldosterone system is an endocrine system which guides the renal absorption of water and electrolytes, thus managing blood pressure and osmoregulation. Activation of the system begins in the kidneys with a small cluster of cells adjacent to the afferent and efferent blood vessels of the renal corpuscle. As the nephrons are filtering blood, juxtaglomerular cells monitor blood pressure. If they detect a decrease in pressure, they release the hormone renin into the bloodstream.

Feedback Loops

Feedback Loops

In most cases, excessive hormone production is prevented by negative feedback—a loop that starts with a stimulus inducing the release of a particular substance, like a hormone, to maintain a certain level before triggering a signal that results in a decrease in further release of the hormone.

Major Hormones and Their Functions

Major Hormones and Their Functions

Hormones, the biochemical messengers produced by endocrine glands, are pivotal in regulating bodily functions and maintaining homeostasis. Each hormone's balance is crucial; imbalances can lead to significant physiological disruptions. Major hormones include oxytocin, cortisol, epinephrine, estrogen, testosterone, thyroxine, growth hormone, insulin, and glucagon.
Oxytocin, produced in the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland, plays a role in social bonding, childbirth, and lactation.

Regulation of Hormone Secretion

Regulation of Hormone Secretion

Regulation of hormone secretion is a finely tuned orchestration driven by various types of stimuli, encompassing neural, humoral, and hormonal signals. Environmental cues instigate neural stimuli, where action potentials traverse nerve fibers to reach their designated targets. An illustrative scenario is the body's response to stress, wherein the sympathetic nervous system releases epinephrine from the adrenal glands, inducing the well-known 'fight or flight' reaction.
Humoral stimuli,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

A machine-learning-derived online prediction model for risk during the activity period in SLE patients: a retrospective historical cross-sectional study.

BMC rheumatology·2026

Same author

Correction: Intermittent fasting promotes type 3 innate lymphoid cells secreting IL-22 contributing to the beigeing of white adipose tissue.

eLife·2026

Same author

Thioredoxin system dysregulation and calpain activation drive myocardial disulfidptosis via pathological disulfide bonds remodeling.

Cell death discovery·2026

Same author

Multiscale impacts of harmful algal blooms and toxins on aquatic ecosystem structure and function: a systematic review.

Environmental science. Processes & impacts·2026

Same author

FeS<sub>2</sub>/CuFeS<sub>2</sub> Composite Anodes Based on Seafloor Massive Sulfides Compositions for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Materials (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Same author

Response to Zhao et al, "Comment on 'Nevus-associated acral melanoma has lower risk of recurrence and mortality than de novo acral melanoma'".

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

A RAPID Method for Blood Processing to Increase the Yield of Plasma Peptide Levels in Human Blood

A RAPID Method for Blood Processing to Increase the Yield of Plasma Peptide Levels in Human Blood

Published on: April 28, 2016

Ghrelin fluctuation, what determines its production?

Xuefeng Yin¹, Yin Li, Geyang Xu

¹Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China.

Acta Biochimica Et Biophysica Sinica

|March 13, 2009

Summary

This review details ghrelin (a gut-brain peptide) regulation, covering its expression, secretion, and the factors influencing its production and levels in health and disease.

More Related Videos

Body Composition and Metabolic Caging Analysis in High Fat Fed Mice

Body Composition and Metabolic Caging Analysis in High Fat Fed Mice

Published on: May 24, 2018

Frequent Tail-tip Blood Sampling in Mice for the Assessment of Pulsatile Luteinizing Hormone Secretion

Frequent Tail-tip Blood Sampling in Mice for the Assessment of Pulsatile Luteinizing Hormone Secretion

Published on: July 4, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 24, 2026

A RAPID Method for Blood Processing to Increase the Yield of Plasma Peptide Levels in Human Blood

A RAPID Method for Blood Processing to Increase the Yield of Plasma Peptide Levels in Human Blood

Published on: April 28, 2016

Body Composition and Metabolic Caging Analysis in High Fat Fed Mice

Body Composition and Metabolic Caging Analysis in High Fat Fed Mice

Published on: May 24, 2018

Frequent Tail-tip Blood Sampling in Mice for the Assessment of Pulsatile Luteinizing Hormone Secretion

Frequent Tail-tip Blood Sampling in Mice for the Assessment of Pulsatile Luteinizing Hormone Secretion

Published on: July 4, 2018

Area of Science:

Endocrinology
Neuroscience
Molecular Biology

Background:

Ghrelin is a peptide hormone produced in the gut that plays a key role in regulating appetite, energy metabolism, and growth hormone secretion.
It acts as the endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR).
Ghrelin's diverse functions extend to cell protection and inflammation modulation.

Purpose of the Study:

To review and summarize recent advances in understanding the regulation of ghrelin expression and secretion.
To elucidate the molecular mechanisms governing ghrelin production.
To discuss the physiological and pathological factors influencing ghrelin levels.

Main Methods:

Review of scientific literature on ghrelin gene expression and regulation.
Analysis of ghrelin promoter structure and precursor processing.
Discussion of regulatory factors including nutrients, hormones, and the autonomic nervous system.

Main Results:

Detailed description of the ghrelin promoter structure and its regulatory elements.
Explanation of ghrelin precursor processing and post-translational modifications.
Identification of key nutrients, hormones, and neural pathways influencing ghrelin production.

Conclusions:

Ghrelin production is tightly regulated at multiple levels, from gene expression to precursor modification.
Nutrients, hormones, and the autonomic nervous system are critical regulators of ghrelin secretion.
Altered ghrelin levels are associated with various physiological and pathological conditions, highlighting its systemic importance.