Corticotropin-releasing hormone

Corticotropin-releasing hormone

Corticotropin-releasing (frequently misspelt corticotrophin-releasing) hormone (CRH) also known as Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a polypeptide hormone of 41 amino acids.

It is produced by the hypothalamus and stimulates corticotropic cells of the anterior lobe of the pituitary to production of ACTH and other biologically active substances (for example β-endorphin). CRH is also synthesized by the placenta and seems to determine the duration of pregnancy.

CRH is a hypophysiotropin that has behavioral effects at the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, at the central nucleus of the amygdala, at the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and at the locus coeruleus. Release of CRH is effected by serum levels of cortisol, by stress and by the sleep/wake cycle.

The sequence of amino acid residues was first determined by Shibahara in 1983.

Ser - Glu - Glu - Pro - Pro - Ile - Ser - Leu - Asp - Leu - Thr - Phe - His - Leu - Leu - Arg - Glu - Val - Leu - Glu - Met - Ala - Arg - Ala - Glu - Gln - Leu - Ala - Gln - Gln - Ala - His - Ser - Asn - Arg - Lys - Leu - Met - Glu - Ile - IleNH2