Gastrointestinal hormone

The gastrointestinal hormones (or gut hormones) constitute a group of hormones secreted by enteroendocrine cells in the stomach, pancreas, and small intestine that control various functions of the digestive organs.

The gastrointestinal hormones can be divided into three main groups based upon their chemical structure.

• Gastrin-cholecystokinin family: gastrin and cholecystokinin
• Secretin family: secretin, glucagon, vasoactive intestinal peptide and gastric inhibitory peptide
• Peptide family: somatostatin, motilin and substance P.

There is some disagreement over what is considered a gastrointestinal hormone. For example, MeSH doesn’t include somatostatin or substance P in that category, though it does include them in several other categories.^[1]

New gastrointestinal hormones are still being discovered.

• Hormone
• Endocrine system
• Digestive system
• Gastrointestinal tract
• Peptide YY

• Overview of Gastrointestinal Hormones – Colorado State University website

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