A role for syndecan-3 in the melanocortin regulation of energy balance

Since the discovery that central melanocortin peptides play an important role in the control of body weight, an impressive amount of research has focused on understanding this complex neuroendocrine system. However, this research has also uncovered new complexities. One of these complexities is the recently discovered putative melanocortin “co-receptor,” syndecan-3. In this review, we present an overview of the biology and potential functions of syndecan-3 and describe a novel hypothesis for its regulation of energy balance.