May function as part of a signaling pathway that acts to regulate the size of the body fat depot. An increase in the level of LEP may act directly or indirectly on the CNS to inhibit food intake and/or regulate energy expenditure as part of a homeostatic mechanism to maintain constancy of the adipose mass. (www.uniprot.org) Produced in E.coli as a single, non-glycosylated, polypeptide chain containing 146 amino acids and an additional Ala at N-terminus, having PEG 20 kDa at its N-terminus.