Melanocortin

Melanocortin
proopiomelanocortin derivatives
POMC
     
γ-MSH ACTH β-lipotropin
         
  α-MSH CLIP γ-lipotropin β-endorphin
       
    β-MSH  

The melanocortins are a group of peptide hormones which include adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and the different forms of melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH).[1] They can be synthetic (created in a lab). In humans they can be endogenously produced from proopiomelanocortin (POMC) in the pituitary gland.[2] The melanocortins exert their effects by binding to and activating the melanocortin receptors.

References

  1. ^ Gantz I, Fong TM (March 2003). "The melanocortin system". Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab. 284 (3): E468–74. doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00434.2002. PMID 12556347. http://ajpendo.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/284/3/E468. 
  2. ^ Raffin-Sanson ML, de Keyzer Y, Bertagna X (August 2003). "Proopiomelanocortin, a polypeptide precursor with multiple functions: from physiology to pathological conditions". Eur. J. Endocrinol. 149 (2): 79–90. doi:10.1530/eje.0.1490079. PMID 12887283. http://www.eje-online.org/cgi/content/abstract/149/2/79. 

External links


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