Rodent submandibular gland peptide hormones and other biologically active peptides

The cervical sympathetic trunk-submandibular gland neuroendocrine axis play s an integral role in physiological adaptations and contributes to the main tenance of systemic homeostasis, particularly under the 'stress conditions' seen with tissue damage, inflammation, and aggressive behavior. The variet y of polypeptides, whose release from acinar and ductal cells is under symp athetic nervous system control, offers coordinated and progressive levels o f endocrine communication. Proteolytic enzymes (e.g. the kallikreins and fu rin maturases) are involved in the conversion of inactive precursors (e.g. Pro-EGF and SMR1) into biologically active molecules (e.g. EGF, SMR1-pentap eptide), which act on local or distant targets and thereby modulate the hom eostatic process. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.