Ghrelin: a step forward in the understanding of somatotroph cell function and growth regulation

the releaseof growth hormone (GH) from pituitary cells, althoughtheir potency was rather weak (1). Further studiesbased on conformational energy calculations in con-junction with peptide chemistry modications andbiological activity testing, led in 1984 to the develop-ment of several more potent peptides, including growthhormone-releasing peptide-6 (GHRP-6) (2). This hexa-peptide was shown to be a potent releaser of GH both