Growth hormone secretagogue receptor of selective ligands for the GHS-R receptor are now available and are being developed for several clinical applications. GHS-R agonists have appetite-stimulating and growth hormone-releasing effects, and are likely to be useful for the treatment of muscle wasting and frailty associated with old-age and degenerative diseases. On the other hand, GHS-R antagonists have anorectic effects and are likely to be useful for the treatment of obesity. Growth hormone secretagogue receptor Growth hormone secretagogue receptor(GHS-R), also known as ghrelin receptor, is a G protein-coupled receptor that binds growth hormone secretagogues (GHSs), such as ghrelin, the "hunger hormone". The role of GHS-R
Growth hormone secretagogue receptor coupled receptors (GPCRs). Various studies suggest that GHS-R1a specifically forms dimers with the following hormone and neurotransmitter receptors: somatostatin receptor 5, dopamine receptor type 2 (DRD2), melanocortin-3 receptor (MC3R), and serotonin receptor type 2C (5-HT receptor). See "Function" section below for details on the purported functions of these heterodimers. The binding of ghrelin to GHS-R1a in pituitary cells stimulates the secretion of growth hormone (GH) by the pituitary gland. One important feature of GHS-R1a is that there is still some activity in the receptor even when it is not actively being stimulated. This is called constitutive activity, and it means