Kisspeptins and the metabolic control of reproduction: physiologic roles and physiopathological implications

In this presentation, we have provided a succinct state-of-the-art of our knowledge on kisspeptins, the newly identified neuropeptide system with key roles in the control of the gonadotropic axis, in the metabolic regulation of puberty onset and fertility. The experimental evidence revised herein, gathered mostly in rodent models, supports the contention that hypothalamic Kiss1 neurons do operate as a central conduit for conveying metabolic information onto the centers governing reproductive function, through a putative leptin-kisspeptin-GnRH pathway, which is likely to involve Crtc1 and/or mTOR as molecular mediators.