Urocortin is a potent regulator of cardiac function, with actions that are
prolonged in experimental animals. These changes are mediated via binding t
o corticotropin-releasing factor receptors found in peripheral tissues. The
effects of urocortin on behavior, appetite, inflammation, and the cardiova
scular system suggest that this peptide may be an endogenous factor mediati
ng actions previously attributed to corticotropin-releasing factor.