Biology of kisspeptins.

In recent years, a substantial body of evidence has accumulated suggesting that the hypothalamic peptide hormone kisspeptin and its cognate receptor, G-protein-coupled receptor 54, play a fundamental role both as gatekeepers for the initiation of puberty and in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. This review discusses the physiology of the kisspeptin signalling system and examines how findings from animal and human studies have contributed to our understanding of the pathophysiology of idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.