O papel da leptina na reprodução dos ruminantes

Leptin is a peptide hormone mainly secreted from the adipose tissue. It can cause marked reduction in food intake and body weight. At present, it is known that leptin influences the hypothalamic-pituitary axis interfering in various physiological processes in mammals. However, the majority of the information existing was obtained with research done in humans and rodents. Thus, the regulation mechanism in ruminants is still unclear. The aim of this review was to outline the role of leptin in regulating reproduction in ruminants, hormone mechanism and its action on the flock’s reproductive life.