Incretin hormones and obesity.

The incretin hormones glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) play critical roles in co-ordinating postprandial metabolism, including modulation of insulin secretion and food intake. They are secreted from enteroendocrine cells in the intestinal epithelium following food ingestion, and act at multiple target sites including pancreatic islets and the brain. With the recent development of agonists targeting GLP-1 and GIP receptors for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, and the ongoing development of new incretin-based drugs with improved efficacy, there is great interest in understanding the physiology and pharmacology of these hormones.