Leptin gene expression in the hypothalamus and pituitary of pregnant pigs.
BACKGROUND: Leptin, the 16-kDa peptide hormone product of the ob gene, is a regulatory hormone secreted mainly by adipose tissue. Recent studies have shown leptin production by other tissues, including rat hypothalamus, rat and human pituitary, rat skeletal muscle, kidney and stomach, human and porcine placenta, human mammary epithelial.....