Description
Urocortin is an endogenous peptide ligand and member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family; it binds and activates CRF type 1 and 2 receptors. Urocortin modulates stress responses and exhibits anorexigenic, anxiogenic, and positive inotropic effects across a wide variety of in vivo models. Urocortin is primarily expressed in the heart. Urocortin exerts many effects on signaling of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, including increasing corticosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone (corticotropin) levels.