Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is a 41-amino acid peptide derived from a 191-amino acid preprohormone. CRH issecreted by the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus in response to stress. Marked reduction in CRH hasbeen observed in association with Alzheimer disease and autosomal recessive hypothalamic corticotropin dificiency hasmultiple and potentially fatal metabolic consequences including hypoglycemia and hepatitis. In addition to productionin the hypothalamus, CRH is also synthesized in peripheral tissues, such as T lymphocytes and is highly expressed inthe placenta. In the placenta CRH is a marker that determines the length of gestation and the timing of parturitionand delivery. A rapid increase in circulating levels of CRH occurs at the onset of parturition, suggesting that, inaddition to its metabolic functions, CRH may act as a trigger for parturition. (provided by RefSeq)
