The enterohormones

Abstract

In this review, the origin of endocrinology has been traced to the discovery of the first hormone, secretin, a gut hormone, by Bayliss and Starling 70 years ago. Since then gastro-enterological endocrinology has flourished with the discovery of a host of new hormones, including glucagon, enteroglucagon, gastrin, cholecystokinin-pancreozymin (CCK-PZ), gastro-intestinal inhibitory peptide (GIP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), motilin, and many others are awaiting discovery. There is extensive overlap in the biological and immunological activity of these hormones which may be related to similarities in primary structure, a common ancestral molecular origin or relative non-specificity of the receptor sites in various target organs. Administered gut hormones have proved useful in the diagnosis of many endocrine and non-endocrine disorders, and provide scope for the medical management of conditions hitherto considered to be primarily surgical. Measurements of circulating levels have given us a deeper understanding of physiological and pathophysiological processes, and in many instances are the simplest and most rapid means of diagnosing certain disease processes. The review was intended to assist the busy practitioner to keep abreast of a rapidly-advancing field where new ideas and concepts appear at such a breathtaking rate that only the individual intimately concerned can keep pace. The author hopes to have at least achieved this objective.

S. Afr. Med. J. 48, 359 (1974).