Abstract
Discoveries of two mouse models of obesity, ob/ob and db/db mice, gave the first momentum to conduct molecular approaches for obesity and lead to discoveries of leptin and its receptors. Leptin, its receptors, and other related signal transducers form a network to maintain the amounts of fat in the body at the apriori-determined “Set point.” In this network, leptin conveys signals as a messenger from adipose tissues to brain to balance energy intake and expenditure: the former is regulated by appetite and the later controlled by heat production. The discovery of leptin gave hopes of many people because it may be an anti-obesity drug, although only a minor proportion of obese pepole is expected to respond it. The dream of such a marvelous drug for obesity was brough closer to reality recently.
