Endocrine Unit, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, London W12 ONN, United Kingdom.
Signals generated by the gastrointestinal tract are able to regulate appetite and influence body weight. Ghrelin is an orexigenic peptide produced by the stomach. Satiety signals derived from the intestine and pancreas include peptide YY, pancreatic polypeptide, glucagon-like peptide 1, oxyntomodulin, and cholecystokinin. Signals from the gut and adipose tissue are integrated in the central nervous system to provide energy homeostasis. Knowledge of the body's control of appetite is important because we strive to combat obesity in man.