“…The amino acid sequence of GIP (Tseng et al, 1993) substantiates the idea that this polypeptide is member of a structurally related family of hormones including secretin, glucagon, glucagon-like peptides 1 and 2 (GLP-1, GLP-2), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), growth hormone-releasing factor (GHRF), and pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP). Interestingly, recent studies described important roles of these intestinal peptides, e.g., in nerve development, regeneration, and/or neuronal survival (Rayan et al, 1995;Waschek, 1995;Klimaschewski, 1997;Lioudyno et al, 1998;Zhang et al, 2002;Martin et al, 2005;Pavelock et al, 2007).…”