Question

What is the function of Somatostatin?

Answer 1

Somatostatin is a hormone generated by a variety of bodily tissues, primarily the neurological and digestive systems. In the neurological system, somatostatin may also serve as a neurotransmitter. The hypothalamus is a brain area that controls hormone production from the pituitary gland underneath it, and Somatostatin generated in the hypothalamus has a substantial influence on it.

Complete answer:
Somatostatin is a cyclic peptide hormone with powerful regulatory effects all over the body. There are two active variants of the peptide, with lengths of fourteen and twenty-eight amino acids, respectively. The two isoforms have a lot of activity in common and only differ in their impact location.
The functions of Somatostatin are as follows:
1. Somatostatin inhibits numerous systems primarily through neuroendocrine mechanisms.
2. It has been shown to suppress GI, endocrine, exocrine, pancreatic, and pituitary secretions, as well as change neurotransmission and memory formation in the central nervous system.
3. Somatostatin suppresses bile secretion, colonic fluid discharges, gastric acid secretion, pancreatic enzymes, cholecystokinin, and vasoactive intestinal peptide in the exocrine system.
4. It suppresses growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), prolactin, gastrin, insulin, glucagon, and secretin in the endocrine system.
5. In human and animal studies, it also inhibits angiogenesis and has anti-proliferative effects on healthy and malignant cells.

Note:
To exert its regulatory function, somatostatin binds to six distinct receptors found in diverse systems and cells throughout the body. These receptors are G-protein coupled receptors that are unique to somatostatin (GPCR). Somatostatin receptors reduce intracellular cyclic AMP and calcium while boosting outward potassium currents when activated. It ultimately results in inhibitory effects.