Resistin has been identified as a hormone secreted by adipocytes that is under hormonal and nutritional control. This hormone has been suggested to be the link between obesity and type 2 diabetes. In rodents, resistin is mainly located and secreted from adipocytes, even though its expression was also found in several other tissues. However, in humans resistin is expressed primarily by macrophages and seems to be involved in the recruitment of other immune cells and the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors, although its role in insulin resistance cannot be ruled out. In addition to its role in glucose metabolism, resistin has been also involved in the control of hypothalamic and peripheral lipid metabolism and in the regulation of food intake. In this short review, we will summarize the most relevant findings of this hormone in rodents.
Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.