leptin

[lep-tin]

noun

1. a hormone that is thought to suppress appetite and speed up metabolism.

leptin

/ ˈlɛptɪn /

noun

1. a protein, produced by fat cells in the body, that acts on the brain to regulate the amount of additional fat laid down in the body

leptin

1. A peptide hormone and neurotransmitter produced by fat cells and involved in the regulation of appetite.

Word History and Origins

Origin of leptin¹

1995–2000; < Greek leptós small, thin + -in ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of leptin¹

C20: from _lepto- + _-in

Example Sentences

Sedentary rats on the cafeteria diet had sharply higher insulin and leptin levels, but these elevations were significantly reduced in those that exercised.

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Professor Maria Leptin, the president of the European Research Council, will be conferred with a doctorate in medical science.

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The research, led by the lab of Richard Simerly, Louise B. McGavock Professor and professor of molecular physiology and biophysics, also supports a novel role for leptin in specifying the development of neural circuits involved in autonomic regulation and food intake.

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Leptin is a hormone that, in adults, regulates hunger by providing a sensation of satiety and helps maintain body weight on a long-term basis.

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In the weeks following birth, however, leptin also helps direct the formation of circuits that control homeostatic functions.

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