Endocrinology Of The Gut

The field of microbial endocrinology is expressly devoted to understanding the mechanisms by which the microbiota (bacteria within the microbiome) interact with the host (“us”). This interaction is a two-way street and the driving force that governs these interactions are the neuroendocrine products of both the host and the microbiota. Chapters include neuroendocrine hormone-induced changes in gene expression and microbial endocrinology and probiotics. This is the first in a series of books dedicated to understanding how bi-directional communication between host and bacteria represents the cutting edge of translational medical research, and hopefully identifies new ways to understand the mechanisms that determine health and disease.​

The gut not only represents the largest endocrine organ of the human body but is also profoundly involved in the control of metabolism through peptide hormones. Therefore, gastrointestinal hormones are acting via autocrine, paracrine, and classical endocrine pathways and regulate e.g. digestion, hunger, and satiety. Furthermore, they are important regulators of body weight, growth, and glucose metabolism, as well as of mood and behavior. Physicians and scientists in the field of pediatric endocrinology and diabetes, as well as in pediatric gastroenterology, require an extensive understanding of the origin of enteroendocrine cells, factors controlling their differentiation, hormone gene expression, secretion, function and, finally, the complex interaction with other organs, especially the central nervous system. In order to meet these needs, experts in the field have written up-to-date, comprehensive, and illustrated reviews presenting the current knowledge in the field of gastrointestinal endocrinology with a pediatric view. Those reviews comprise this latest volume of Endocrine Development.

Obesity is an epidemic problem not limited to Western society, but also in emerging industrial nations with large populations, especially in Asia. The connection between the gut and the brain is probably one of the most promising therapeutic targets for the treatment of obesity and metabolic syndrome. This book brings together reviews on the current understanding of how the gut and brain communicate in the regulation of metabolism. Individual chapters explore novel aspects of this interaction. A comprehensive update on the roles of smell and taste, the gut microbiome, and novel gut-derived neuropeptides in regulating metabolism via the brain is offered. Furthermore, the regulation of insulin sensitivity in the brain is discussed in detail. Providing an overview of the most recent findings, 'How Gut and Brain Control Metabolism' could spark in the reader new ideas or approaches, thus leading to much-needed new medical treatments. Physicians with an involvement in the treatment of metabolic disease and scientists performing research in the fields of nutrition and obesity will find this book a valuable addition to their bookshelves.

Leading clinical and basic science researchers present the latest molecular and cellular findings on key gut peptides, illuminating their physiology and pathophysiology, as well as highlighting the regulatory mechanisms underlying their action in the intestinal tract. The book focuses on gut peptide physiology and receptor pharmacology, gut processing and receptor biology, and on regulatory mechanisms in the gut, including pancreatic feedback mechanisms. Also included are chapters on the trophic effects of gut peptides on GI and pancreatic cancer; the regulation of gut peptide gene expression; and gastric secretion, especially in diseased states.