SOMATOSTATIN - THE NEUROENDOCRINE STORY

Since its original discovery as the neuroendocrine hormone responsible for inhibiting growth hormone (GH) secretion, our understanding of th e functions of somatostatin [or somatotrophin release inhibitory hormo ne (SRIH)], both in the periphery and the CNS, has grown enormously. W ith the cloning of five SRIH receptors, much interest has centred rece ntly on the potential use of SRIH analogues in the treatment of clinic al conditions ranging from human cancers to Alzheimer's and Parkinson' s diseases. There is a growing recognition that the physiological func tions of GH also need to be extended beyond its role in growth control , e.g. to a role in the maintenance of normal immune, cardiovascular a nd reproductive functions. Here, Glenda Gillies addresses the importan ce of somatostatinergic systems in regulating the sexually dimorphic p atterns of GH secretion as well as their influence on other endocrine hormones. She also considers the neurotransmitter/neuromodulator actio ns of SRIH within the hypothalamus, where it is involved in the neural control and integration of many aspects of endocrine function, as wel l as its potential role in the maturation of the hypothalamus during t he critical perinatal period.