Glucagon and Beyond: Future Perspectives in Childhood

In a century of research, it has gradually become clear that glucagon should no longer be considered only as a counter-regulatory hormone of insulin accordingly to its role in the physiopathogenesis of metabolic pathologies such as diabetes, obesity and fatty liver appears to be decisive.As hyperglucagonemia represents the common feature of various metabolic pathologies not only in adults but also in pediatric patients, glucagon can be a problem but also a solution in the field of metabolic diseases.In fact, opposing therapeutic strategies have been developed which inhibit or enhance the activity of glucagon depending on the clinical situation and are also applied in pediatric age.This review aims to take stock of the situation on the physiopatogenetic role of glucagon in metabolic pathologies and bring together the dots of recent discoveries leading to the hypothesis of new solutions in the management and prevention ofthesepathologies.