THE UNFOLDING TALE OF LEPTIN

Abstract

The discovery of leptin, a product of the ob gene, in 1994 (1) has raised hopes of many an obese population throughout the world for a probable solution to their fatness. Its discovery has seemingly provided the missing link in the regulation of body weight and energy balance and has added an extra impetus to research in obesity. Within a short period of time, research on leptin has spread to numerous laboratories throughout the world and beyond obesity, so much so it is now becoming increasingly difficult trying to keep pace with the rate at which new knowledge on the physiology of leptin is being generated, let alone making sense of the data that is being published.