A physiological role for the BB3 receptor has yet to be fully defined although recently studies suggest an important role in glucose and insulin regulation, metabolic homeostasis, feeding, regulation of body temperature, obesity, diabetes mellitus and growth of normal/neoplastic tissues [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26066663?dopt=AbstractPlus, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22157398?dopt=AbstractPlus, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9367152?dopt=AbstractPlus, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27055378?dopt=AbstractPlus]. The gene discussed is INS; the disease is diabetes mellitus.