Endocrine Abstracts

Cortistatin is a neuropeptide that belongs to the somatostatin family, and shares 11 of its 14 amino acid residues with somatostatin. Studies in the central nervous system have shown that cortistatin has activities different from somatostatin, including enhancing slow wave sleep and selective conductances. However, in the periphery cortistatin appears to act as a somatostatin receptor analog. We have generated cortistatin ko mice and have analyzed the molecular, behavioral and immunological consequences of cortistatin deficiency. Our data suggest that cortistatin is a parallel system to somatostatin in the central nervous system, and may have specific and relevant functions in the immune system.