Rats with a truncated ghrelin receptor (GHSR) do not respond to ghrelin, and show reduced intake of palatable, high-calorie food.

Ghrelin, a peptide hormone produced by the stomach, is the endogenous ligand for the Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor (GHSR). Ghrelin acts on the GHSR to increase food intake, appetitive behaviors, and adiposity. Recently, a rat model with a null mutation to the GHSR gene (FHH-GHSR(m1/Mcwi)) was generated and used in behavioral studies, but the basic metabolic phenotype of this strain as well as that of the background strain (Fawn Hooded Hypertensive, FHH) has not been characterized in detail.