Peptidyl hormones of endocrine cells origin in the gut--their discovery and physiological relevance.

In 1902 William Bayliss and Ernest Starling discovered secretin and it was the beginning of general endocrinology as well as, endocrinology of gastrointestinal tract. Ernest Starling was also a first person who introduced a term hormone for the substances which serves to transfer the information between cells of organism. Subsequent years delivered discovery of successive hormones of the digestive tract. Gastrin was discovered in 1905; whereas cholecystokinin in 1928. Ghrelin and obestatin are last hormones determined in the gastrointestinal tract and they were found in 1999 and 2006, respectively. Both above hormones are originating from the common prohormone. In 60s of past century, the biochemical structure of the gastrointestinal tract hormones was determined for the first time. Substantial progress in endocrinology of the digestive tract took place when radioimmunoassay was employed to measure of hormones concentration. Subsequently, radiolabeled hormones were used to localize hormonal receptors. Next breakthrough in the gastrointestinal tract endocrinology happened after introduction to experimental methods the cloning of complementary DNA. This method has allowed, among the others, to establish the full structure of receptors as well as, a genes coding hormones and their receptors. Discovery of genes structure allowed subsequently introducing these genes into foreign cells, what gives a chance to obtain significant amount of recombined hormones possessing species specificity. This review is presenting a history of the gastrointestinal tract endocrinology, as well as a relevance of gastrointestinal tract hormones in the regulation of body physiological activity.