Molecular Genetics, Institute of Life Science, Kurume University, Hyakunen-kohen 1-1, Kurume, Fukuoka 839-0864, Japan.
The endogenous ligand for growth-hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R) was purified from the stomach and named it "ghrelin," after the word root "ghre" in Proto-Indo-European languages meaning "grow", since ghrelin has potent growth hormone (GH) releasing activity. Ghrelin plays important roles for maintaining growth hormone release and energy homeostasis in vertebrates. In this essay, I described my personal memory on the discovery of ghrelin in the year 1999.