Abstract
Urocortin, a 40 amino acid peptide, is a corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) related peptide, and can bind to all three types of CRF receptors (CRF type 1, type 2(a) and type 2(b) receptors) with higher affinities for these receptors than CRF. Immunoreactivity of urocortin is widely distributed in central nervous, digestive, cardiovascular, reproductive, immune and endocrine systems. Urocortin plays important roles in appetite-suppression, immunomodulation, steroidogenesis in the ovary, maintenance of the placental function, labor, and cardioprotection via CRF receptors. Although urocortin has potent adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) releasing activity in vitro, endogenous urocortin does not act on pituitary ACTH secretion in vivo.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1745-1749 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Peptides |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 10 SPEC. ISS. |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2004 Oct |
Keywords
- CRF receptor
- Corticotropin-releasing factor
- Urocortin
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Physiology
- Endocrinology
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience