Urocortin human can be used as a test compound for studying the impact of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptor agonist and antagonist on sleep-wake patterns in conscious rats by using radiotelemetry system.
Biochem/physiol Actions
Urocortin is a CRF-related neuropeptide having high affinity for CRF2 receptor possess appetite-suppressing effect. Urocortin along with corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) binding protein (CRF-BP) enhances the free CRF levels in human brain by displacing hCRF from the binding protein.
Binds to CRF receptor types 1, 2α, and 2β; stimulates cAMP accumulation from cells transfected with these receptors. Acts in vitro to release ACTH from rat anterior pituitary cells.