* MC3R links nutritional state to childhood growth and the timing of puberty.
- The state of somatic energy stores in metazoans is communicated to the brain, which regulates key aspects of behaviour, growth, nutrient partitioning and development1. The central melanocortin system acts through melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) to control appetite, food intake and energy expenditure2. Here we present evidence that MC3R regulates the timing of sexual maturation, the rate of linear growth and the accrual of lean mass, which are all energy-sensitive processes. We found that humans who carry loss-of-function mutations in MC3R, including a rare homozygote individual, have a later onset of puberty. Consistent with previous findings in mice, they also had reduced linear growth, lean mass and circulating levels of IGF1. Mice lacking Mc3r had delayed sexual maturation and an insensitivity of reproductive cycle length to nutritional perturbation. The expression of Mc3r is enriched in hypothalamic neurons that control reproduction and growth, and expression increases during postnatal development in a manner that is consistent with a role in the regulation of sexual maturation. These findings suggest a bifurcating model of nutrient sensing by the central melanocortin pathway with signalling through MC4R controlling the acquisition and retention of calories, whereas signalling through MC3R primarily regulates the disposition of calories into growth, lean mass and the timing of sexual maturation.
=>1.機能, 関数, 役割, 働き, 2.機能する, 作用する, 働く, 役目を果たす, 3.社交的会合, パーティー, 儀式
Overview of noun function
The noun function has 7 senses (first 3 from tagged texts)
1. (43) function, mathematical function, single-valued function, map, mapping -- ((mathematics) a
mathematical relation such that each element of a given set (the domain of the function) is
associated with an element of another set (the range of the function))
2. (24) function, purpose, role, use -- (what something is used for; "the function of an auger is to
bore holes"; "ballet is beautiful but what use is it?")
3. (7) function, office, part, role -- (the actions and activities assigned to or required or
expected of a person or group; "the function of a teacher"; "the government must do its part"; "play
its role")
4. function -- (a relation such that one thing is dependent on another; "height is a function of
age"; "price is a function of supply and demand")
5. function -- (a formal or official social gathering or ceremony; "it was a black-tie function")
6. affair, occasion, social occasion, function, social function -- (a vaguely specified social
event; "the party was quite an affair"; "an occasion arranged to honor the president"; "a seemingly
endless round of social functions")
7. routine, subroutine, subprogram, procedure, function -- (a set sequence of steps, part of larger
computer program)
Overview of verb function
The verb function has 3 senses (first 3 from tagged texts)
1. (9) function, work, operate, go, run -- (perform as expected when applied; "The washing machine
won't go unless it's plugged in"; "Does this old car still run well?"; "This old radio doesn't work
anymore")
2. (3) serve, function -- (serve a purpose, role, or function; "The tree stump serves as a table";
"The female students served as a control group"; "This table would serve very well"; "His freedom
served him well"; "The table functions as a desk")
3. (1) officiate, function -- (perform duties attached to a particular office or place or function;
"His wife officiated as his private secretary")
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