Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 23, 2026

The Colon-26 Carcinoma Tumor-bearing Mouse as a Model for the Study of Cancer Cachexia
Published on: November 30, 2016
The causes of cachexia: key signals and the brain
Aideen Daly1, Su Lei Yin1, Anthony P Coll2
1Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Abstract:
Cachexia is a multisystem, complex disorder of body weight and body composition characterized by a relentless, non-resolving wasting of metabolic reserve that, although long recognized and described, continues to elude effective treatment. A continued focus on central nervous system pathways as key drivers of some of the cardinal features of cachexia now points towards the development of long-needed effective interventions. In this Review, we focus on several key signals, namely growth differentiation factor 15, melanocortins and interleukin-6, that illustrate the power of cross-disciplinary thinking to better understand how humoral signals affect body composition, behaviour and cognition in cachexia.
Related Concept Videos
Regulation of Food Intake
Biological Causes of Schizophrenia
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin studies.
Notch Signaling Pathway
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not until 1985...
Overview of Protein Metabolism
Amino acids play various roles in the body once they are absorbed into cells. They are restructured...
Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology
The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway