The fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21)–β-Klotho pathway orchestrates a switch to oxidative metabolism during fasting and starvation and has been implicated as a signal connecting nutrition, growth, reproduction and longevity. Two new studies in mice show that Fgf21 interacts directly with the brain circadian clock to coordinate activity and reproduction as part of the adaptation to fasting (pages 1147–1156).
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Debbie Maizels
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J.B. is a consultant for and is on the Speakers' Bureau at Merck. He owns stock in and is on the scientific advisory board at Reset Therapeutics. He is a consultant for Gerson Lehrman Group. He is also on the scientific advisory boards of Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Vanda Pharmaceuticals.
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Bass, J. Forever (FGF) 21. Nat Med 19, 1090–1092 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.3334
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.3334
