Joan M Vaughan

• Salk Institute for Biological Studies

Small open reading frames (smORFs) encode microproteins that play crucial roles in various biological processes, yet their functions in adipocyte biology remain largely unexplored. In a previous study, we identified thousands of smORFs in white and brown adipocytes derived from the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) of mice using ribosome profiling (R...

Mitochondrial DNA variants have previously associated with disease, but the underlying mechanisms have been largely elusive. Here, we report that mitochondrial SNP rs2853499 associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), neuroimaging, and transcriptomics. We mapped rs2853499 to a novel mitochondrial small open reading frame called SHMOOSE with microprot...

The salt-inducible kinase (SIK) family regulates cellular gene expression via the phosphorylation of cAMP-responsive transcriptional coactivators (CRTCs) and class IIA histone deacetylases (HDACs), which are sequestered in the cytoplasm by phosphorylation-dependent 14-3-3 interactions. SIK activity towards these substrates is inhibited by increases...

The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family of peptides includes CRF and three urocortins, which signal through two distinct G-protein coupled receptors, CRF1 and CRF2. Although the cellular distribution of CRF receptor expression has been well characterized at the mRNA level, the localization of receptor protein, and, by inference, of function...

The second messenger cAMP stimulates cellular gene expression via the PKA-mediated phosphorylation of the transcription factor CREB and through dephosphorylation of the cAMP-responsive transcriptional coactivators (CRTCs). Under basal conditions, CRTCs are phosphorylated by members of the AMPK family of Ser/Thr kinases and sequestered in the cytopl...

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis undergoes critical developments during adolescence. Therefore, stressors experienced during this period potentially have long-term effects on adult HPA axis function. We hypothesized that adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure would affect adult HPA axis function, resulting in altered responses...

Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) belongs to a large class of proteins that solubilize lipids for physiological transport. Humans have three different APOE alleles-APOE ε2, APOE ε3 and APOE ε4-and genetic studies identified ApoE4 as the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). People who are homozygous for ApoE4 (i.e. ApoE4/E4) are an orde...

Objective: Complex local crosstalk amongst endocrine cells within the islet ensures tight coordination of their endocrine output. This is illustrated by the recent demonstration that the negative feedback control by delta cells within pancreatic islets determines the homeostatic set-point for plasma glucose during mouse postnatal development. Howe...

Computational, genomic, and proteomic approaches have been used to discover nonannotated protein-coding small open reading frames (smORFs). Some novel smORFs have crucial biological roles in cells and organisms, which motivates the search for additional smORFs. Proteomic smORF discovery methods are advantageous because they detect smORF-encoded pol...

CRF mediates numerous stress-related endocrine, autonomic, metabolic and behavioral responses. We present the synthesis, chemical and biological properties of astressin B analogues {cyclo(30-33)[DPhe12,Nle21,38,CαMeLeu 27,40,Glu30,Lys33]-Acetyl-h/r-CRF(9-41)}. Out of 37 novel peptides, 17 (2, 4, 6- 8, 10, 11, 16, 17, 27, 29, 30, 32-36) and 16 (3, 5...

The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) peptide family comprises the mammalian peptides CRF and the urocortins, as well as frog skin sauvagine and fish urophyseal urotensin. Advances in understanding the roles of the CRF ligand family and associated receptors have often relied on radioreceptor assays using labeled CRF ligands. These assays depend...

Insulin resistance (IR) in skeletal muscle is an important component of both type 2 diabetes (T2D) and the syndrome of sarcopaenic obesity, for which there are no effective therapies. Urocortins (Ucns) are well-established as neuropeptides but also have roles in metabolism in peripheral tissues. We showed recently that global overexpression of Ucn3...

Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptors (CRFRs) are class B1 G-protein-coupled receptors, which bind peptides of the corticotropin releasing factor family and are key mediators in the stress response. In order to dissect the receptors' binding specificity and enable structural studies, full-length human CRFR1α and mouse CRFR2β as well as fragments...

Mouse (m) and human (h) urocortin 2 (Ucn 2) were identified by molecular cloning strategies and the primary sequence of their mature forms postulated by analogy to closely related members of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neuropeptide family. Because of the paucity of Ucn 2 proteins in native tissues, skin, muscle, and pancreatic cell lin...

Exposure to alcohol during adolescence exerts long-term effects on the adult brain stress circuits, causing many changes that persist into adulthood. Here we examined the consequences of adolescent intermittent ethanol [AIE, administered from postnatal day (PND) 28-42] on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis-related brain circuitry of rats...

The corticotropin-releasing factor type 2 receptor (CRFR2) is suggested to play an important role in aiding recovery from acute stress, but any chronic effects of CRFR2 activation are unknown. CRFR2 in the midbrain raphé nuclei modulate serotonergic activity of this key source of serotonin (5-HT) forebrain innervation. Transgenic mice overexpressin...

Urocortins are the endogenous ligands for the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type 2 (CRFR2), which is implicated in regulating energy balance and/or glucose metabolism. We determined the effects of chronic CRFR2 activation on metabolism in vivo, by generating and phenotyping transgenic mice overproducing the specific CRFR2 ligand urocortin...

Urocortin (Ucn) peptides are the endogenous ligands for the corticotropin-releasing factor type 2 receptor (CRFR2). They have potentially important roles in cardiovascular physiology in health and disease, and show promise as therapeutics for congestive heart failure. Analysis of canine heart tissue showed mRNA expression of Ucn 1, Ucn 3 and CRFR2...

Urocortin 3 (Ucn 3), member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family of peptide hormones, is released from β-cells to potentiate insulin secretion. Ucn 3 activates the CRF type-2 receptor (CRFR2) but does not activate the type-1 receptor (CRFR1), which was recently demonstrated on β-cells. While the direct actions of Ucn 3 on insulin secr...

Corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type 2 (CRFR2) is highly expressed in skeletal muscle (SM) tissue where it is suggested to inhibit interactions between insulin signaling pathway components affecting whole-body glucose homeostasis. However, little is known about factors regulating SM CRFR2 expression. Here, we demonstrate the exclusive expre...

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), originally characterized as the principal neuroregulator of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, has broad central and peripheral distribution and actions. We demonstrate the presence of CRF receptor type 1 (CRFR1) on primary beta cells and show that activation of pancreatic CRFR1 promotes insulin secretion...

Urocortin 3 (Ucn 3) is a corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-related peptide with high affinity for the type 2 CRF receptor (CRFR2). Central administration of Ucn 3 stimulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, suppresses feeding, and elevates blood glucose levels, suggesting that activation of brain CRFR2 promotes stress-like responses. Sev...

Inhibins are endocrine hormones that regulate gametogenesis and reproduction through a negative feedback loop with FSH. Inhibin action involves antagonism of signaling by activin or other TGFbeta family ligands. In transfection assays, antagonism by inhibin can be potentiated by betaglycan, a coreceptor for selected TGFbeta family ligands. We teste...

A growing body of experimental and clinical studies supports a strong association between psychological stress and cardiovascular disease. An important endogenous cardioprotective role in heart physiology has been attributed to corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type 2beta (CRFR2beta). Here, we report the isolation of cDNA from mouse (m) heart...

Corticotropin releasing factor-binding protein (CRF-BP) binds CRF and urocortin 1 (Ucn 1) with high affinity, thus preventing CRF receptor (CRFR) activation. Despite recent progress on the molecular details that govern interactions between CRF family neuropeptides and their cognate receptors, little is known concerning the mechanisms that allow CRF...

Follistatins exert critical autocrine or paracrine control in many tissues by binding and bio-neutralizing activin and several other transforming growth factor-beta ligands. In the pituitary, activin acts locally to induce follistatin expression and thus modulate its own actions. This local feedback loop safeguards against excessive activin signali...

In 1981, we published the structure of ovine CRF followed by that of rat CRF, later found to be identical to that of human CRF. Other native agonists discovered later are Urocortin (1995, a more affine ligand to CRF-R1 and CRF-R2 receptors than CRF) and Urocortin 2 and 3 (2001, potent CRF-R2-selective ligands). It took the characterization of two C...

The potencies and selectivity of peptide CRF antagonists is increased through structural constraints, suggesting that the resulting ligands assume distinct conformations when interacting with CRF1 and CRF2 receptors. To develop selective CRF receptor agonists, we have scanned the sequence -Gln-Ala-His-Ser-Asn-Arg- (residues 30-35 of [DPhe12,Nle21,3...

Urocortin 3 (Ucn 3), a member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family of peptides, is strongly expressed in mammalian pancreatic β cells and has been shown to stimulate insulin secretion. Here we report the investigation of the hypothesis that endogenous Ucn 3 regulates insulin secretion, particularly in the presence of nutrient excess....

Skeletal muscle is the principal tissue responsible for insulin-stimulated glucose disposal and is a major site of peripheral insulin resistance. Urocortin 2 (Ucn 2), a member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family, and its cognate type 2 CRF receptor (CRFR2) are highly expressed in skeletal muscle. To determine the physiological role o...

The endogenous corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) type 2 receptor (CRFR2)-selective ligand urocortin 3 is expressed in discrete subcortical brain regions with fibers distributed mainly to hypothalamic and limbic structures. Close anatomical association between major urocortin 3 terminal fields and CRFR2 in hypothalamus, lateral septum, and medial...

Gender differences in hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation and the prevalence of mood disorders are well documented. Urocortin 2, a recently identified member of the corticotropin-releasing factor family, is expressed in discrete neuroendocrine and stress-related nuclei of the rodent CNS. To determine the physiological role of uroco...

Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) is a highly expressed peptide implicated in the regulation of feeding, reward and reinforcement, and stress-related behaviors. CART has been localized to discrete cell populations in the brain, gut, adrenal gland, and pancreas. In contrast, CART-producing cell types in the pituitary gland remain...

Peptides of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family signal through the activation of two receptors, CRF receptor type 1 (CRFR1) and type 2 (CRFR2), both of which exist as multiple splice variants. We have identified a cDNA from mouse brain encoding a splice variant, soluble CRFR2α (sCRFR2α), in which exon 6 is deleted from the gene encoding...

Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) is a highly expressed hypothalamic transcript that is concentrated in areas associated with the stress response. There is evidence for a role of CART in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. However, it is not clear whether CART regulates activity of the HPA axis by dir...

Peptides encoded by the Urocortin (Ucn) II gene, also known as stresscopin-related peptide, were recently identified as new members of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family. Ucn II is a specific ligand for the type 2 CRF receptor (CRFR). We have demonstrated the peripheral distribution of mouse Ucn (mUcn) II transcripts by using specific...

Peptides encoded by the urocortin II (Ucn II) gene were recently identified as new members of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family. Ucn II is a specific ligand for the type 2 CRF receptor. Using RT-PCR, DNA sequencing, and immunofluorescence staining, we report the expression of Ucn II mRNA in several human and mouse (m) neuronal cell li...

Urocortin (Ucn) III, or stresscopin, is a high affinity ligand for the type 2 corticotropin-releasing factor (CRFR2) receptor recently identified in rodents and human. Ucn III was initially identified as a neuropeptide expressed in discrete areas in the brain. In the present study, we demonstrate that Ucn III is expressed in pancreatic beta-cells a...

Activin is a secreted growth factor that signals by binding two related classes of single transmembrane receptors at the cell surface. The interaction of activin with its receptors is highly regulated by other cell surface receptors, antagonistic ligands, and high affinity extracellular binding proteins such as follistatin. Two activin A mutants, t...

We present evidence that members of the corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) family assume distinct structures when interacting with the CRF(1) and CRF(2) receptors. Predictive methods, physicochemical measurements, and structure-activity relationship studies have suggested that CRF, its family members, and competitive antagonists such as astressin...

Urocortin (Ucn) III, or stresscopin, is a new member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) peptide family identified in mouse and human. Pharmacological studies showed that Ucn III is a high-affinity ligand for the type 2 CRF receptor (CRF-R2). To further understand physiological functions the peptide may serve in the brain, the distribution...

The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family of neuropeptides includes the mammalian peptides CRF, urocortin, and urocortin II, as well as piscine urotensin I and frog sauvagine. The mammalian peptides signal through two G protein-coupled receptor types to modulate endocrine, autonomic, and behavioral responses to stress, as well as a range of p...

Here we describe the cloning and initial characterization of a previously unidentified CRF-related neuropeptide, urocortin II (Ucn II). Searches of the public human genome database identified a region with significant sequence homology to the CRF neuropeptide family. By using homologous primers deduced from the human sequence, a mouse cDNA was isol...

Histochemical and axonal transport methods were used to clarify the central organization of cells and fibers that express urocortin (UCN), a recently discovered corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-related neuropeptide, which has been proposed as an endogenous ligand for type 2 CRF receptors (CRF-R2). Neurons that display both UCN mRNA and peptide...

Histochemical and axonal transport methods were used to clarify the central organization of cells and fibers that express urocortin (UCN), a recently discovered corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-related neuropeptide, which has been proposed as an endogenous ligand for type 2 CRF receptors (CRF-R2). Neurons that display both UCN mRNA and peptide...

Activins and inhibins belong to the transforming growth factor-beta-like superfamily of growth and differentiation factors that exert pleiotropic effects in many target tissues. Heteromeric association of activin with two structurally related receptor serine/threonine kinases, activin receptor types I and II, initiates downstream signaling events....

Urocortin (Ucn) is a newly identified mammalian member of the CRF family of peptides. Ucn activates CRF receptors (both CRF-R1 and CRF-R2) with greater potency than CRF itself, suggesting that Ucn may play an endogenous role in eliciting (at least some) CRF receptor-mediated events. Because the most characterized physiological function of CRF recep...

Urocortin (Ucn) is a recently isolated peptide related to the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family, which can produce hemodynamic and hormonal actions in conscious rats. This study examined in detail the cardiovascular actions of Ucn and CRF after intravenous injection in chronically instrumented, conscious sheep. Injection of Ucn produced d...

: Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) was recognized biologically in the 1950s and was first isolated from ovine hypothalamus and characterized as a 41 amino acid peptide in 1981. Subsequently, rat and human CRF were identified and found to be identical to one another, while differing from ovine CRF by seven residues. A variety of experimental obs...

This chapter illustrates a number of ways for preparing recombinant corticotropin releasing factor-binding protein (CRF-BP) for analysis with matrix assisted laser desorption mass spectrometry (MALD-MS) using immunoprecipitation. Immunoprecipitation is used as a specific method of trapping ligands for further analysis, such as in immunoassays or im...

Recently a new member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family has been cloned and named urocortin. It has been localized in rat brain and to human chromosome 2. The present study investigated whether human placenta and related tissues express mRNA and immunoreactive urocortin. Using specific oligonucleotide primers, reverse transcriptase...

ABSTRACT Urocortin, a new member of the CRF peptide family which also includes urotensin I and sauvagine, was recently cloned from the rat midbrain. The synthetic replicate of urocortin was found to bind with high affinity to type 1 and type 2 CRF receptors and, based upon its anatomic localization within the brain, was proposed to be a natural lig...

Recently a new member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family has been cloned and named urocortin. It has been localized in rat brain and to human chromosome 2. The present study investigated whether human placenta and related tissues express mRNA and immunoreactive urocortin. Using specific oligonucleotide primers, reverse transcriptase...

Activin, a member of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily, binds to two classes of cell surface receptors. These receptors, designated type I and type II, are structurally related members of transmembrane serine kinase superfamily. Antibodies specific for either type I or type II activin receptor can coprecipitate complexes containing bo...

Activin, a member of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily, binds to two classes of cell surface receptors. These receptors, designated type I and type II, are structurally related members of transmembrane serine kinase superfamily. Antibodies specific for either type I or type II activin receptor can coprecipitate complexes containing bo...

CORTICOTROPIN-RELEASING factor (CRF), a peptide first isolated from mammalian brain1, is critical in the regulation of the pituitary–adrenal axis, and in complementary stress-related endocrine, autonomic and behavioural responses2. Fish urotensin I and amphibian sauvagine were considered to be homologues3 of CRF until peptides even more closely rel...

Activins are multipotent hormones/growth factors that belong to the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily. Like TGF-beta s, activins have 9 conserved cysteine residues and are disulfide-bonded dimers. Based on the three-dimensional structure of TGF-beta 2, we deduced Cys80 in activin A to form the intermolecular disulfide bond. To...

The production of inhibin/activin by cultured rat anterior pituitary cells was evaluated using specific antisera to inhibin/activin alpha, beta A, and beta B subunit proteins (anti-alpha, anti-beta A, and anti-beta B). Cellular or secreted proteins recognized by the antisera were immunoprecipitated from metabolically labeled cells then analyzed by...

The activin-binding protein, follistatin (FS), was immunoprecipitated from metabolically labeled rat anterior pituitary cells or their media using a specific antiserum to purified porcine FS (anti-FS). Several immunoreactive proteins, including one that had a mobility in the range of 42-44 kilodaltons (kDa), were detected in the cell lysates. When...

The activin-binding protein, follistatin (FS), was immunoprecipitated from metabolically labeled rat anterior pituitary cells or their media using a specific antiserum to purified porcine FS (anti-FS). Several immunoreactive proteins, including one that had a mobility in the range of 42-44 kilodaltons (kDa), were detected in the cell lysates. When...

The development of a two-site immunoassay for dimeric inhibin resulted in the detection of higher mol wt substances in follicular fluid that interfere with the measurement of dimeric inhibin by this assay, but not by a previously characterized inhibin alpha-subunit RIA. Therefore, we initiated a study to identify inhibin- and activin-binding protei...

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) has a broad distribution throughout the brain and periphery and has been shown to be present in certain human tumors. We have identified a human hepatoma cell line, NPLC-KC, that contains and secretes immunoreactive CRF (irCRF). Cyclohexyl-silica extracted supernatant from these cells displaced iodinated human C...

In previous studies, we have demonstrated that inhibin and activin are stimulatory to goldfish gonadotropin release. In the present study, the distribution of immunoreactive inhibin and activin subunits (alpha, beta A, and beta B) in goldfish gonads was examined with domain-specific antibodies against mammalian inhibin and activin subunits, using t...

A growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF)-like peptide was isolated from the hypothalamus of common carp, Cyprinus carpio, by acid extraction, gel filtration chromatography, immunoaffinity chromatography using antiserum directed against rat GRF, and multiple steps of HPLC using octadecyl columns. Based on Edman degradation and peptide mapping, this t...

Inhibin and activin are important reproductive regulators in mammalian species and have been demonstrated to be highly conserved in structure. The present study examines the effects of porcine follicular fluid (pFF; a crude inhibin and activin preparation) and purified porcine inhibin-A and activin-A on goldfish gonadotropin-II (GTH-II) release. In...

CRF is released in response to various stressors and regulates ACTH secretion and glucocorticoid production. CRF overproduction has been implicated in affective disorders, such as depression and anorexia nervosa, and may lead to Cushing's syndrome. To test whether CRF overproduction leads to Cushing's syndrome and to develop an animal model of chro...

In addition to a nonadecapeptide homologous to the teleost melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), the amino acid sequence predicted from a rat prepro-MCH (ppMCH) cDNA suggested that at least one (neuropeptide EI, or NEI), and possibly a second (NGE), additional neuropeptide may be encoded by this precursor. Cross-reactivity with epitopes of NEI or NG...

The regulatory control of human erythropoiesis through a purified protein, activin A, was examined. Previous studies using mixed populations of bone marrow cells suggested that activin A has an indirect effect on cellular proliferation and DNA synthesis of erythroid progenitors through the mediation of accessory cells. In present studies, the cultu...

This study investigated the role of endogenous inhibin in regulating FSH beta mRNA levels subsequent to the gonadotropin surge in the immature, estradiol (E2)-treated female rat. Rats which undergo FSH surges on day 29 have low to undetectable levels of FSH beta mRNA at 0900 h on day 30, whereas those treated simultaneously with E2 and progesterone...

The regulatory control of human erythropoiesis through a purified protein, activin A, was examined. Previous studies using mixed populations of bone marrow cells suggested that activin A has an indirect effect on cellular proliferation and DNA synthesis of erythroid progenitors through the mediation of accessory cells. In present studies, the cultu...

Little is known about the ability of the fetal primate gonads to produce inhibin/activin. We investigated the presence of the alpha-, beta A-, and beta B-subunits of inhibin/activin in fetal human (16-23 weeks gestational age) and rhesus monkey (days 150-157 of gestation; term = 165 days) testes and ovaries by immunocytochemistry. The regulation of...

Studies were performed to characterize the identity of the factors present in calf serum that stimulate endothelin (ET) production by vascular endothelial cells in culture. Two putative candidates responsible for the ET-releasing activity present in serum are members of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta) superfamily, TGF beta 1 and acti...

This study investigated the role of endogenous inhibin in regulating FSHβ mRNA levels subsequent to the gonadotropin surge in the immature, estradiol (E2)-treated female rat. Rats which undergo FSH surges on day 29 have low to undetectable levels of FSHβ mRNA at 0900 h on day 30, whereas those treated simultaneously with E2 and progesterone (P) imp...

We investigated the effect of the iv injection of recombinant human (rh) inhibin on FSH and LH secretion in the female rat under various experimental circumstances. Rh inhibin caused dose-related decreases in mean plasma FSH, but not LH, levels in ovariectomized female rats 14 days old and older. The duration of this inhibition was proportional to...

We show that mammalian and Xenopus activins induce dorsal axial mesoderm and anterior structures in explants of Xenopus blastula cells that would otherwise form epidermis. The induced explants of animal cap cells can form notochord, muscle, neural tissue, and eyes all arranged in a rudimentary axial pattern. Activin A shares inductive properties an...

Bovine calf serum (CS) and porcine follicular fluid (PFF) added to bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) in culture stimulate endothelin (ET) release. Sorbent extraction of acidified calf serum and PFF using Bond Elut C18 yields a product with an activity 30% that of the starting material. Fractionation of Bond Elut C18 extracted CS or PFF using H...

The structures of five neurotrophic molecules have so far been published. Nerve growth factor, fibroblast growth factor and purpurin, have been identified as nerve-cell survival molecules. More recently, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and ciliary neurotrophic factor have been cloned and sequenced. As all these proteins stimulate the survi...

The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether steroid hormones or opiate receptor agonists participate in the mechanisms regulating the release of immunoreactive GnRH (irGnRH) from cultured human placental cells. No significant changes in irGnRH concentrations were found in the culture medium after 48-h incubation of estradiol, estriol, or p...

Recent reports suggest that activin (the dimer of inhibin beta subunits with FSH-releasing activity) has specific receptors on ovarian granulosa cells. The present study examined the effects of purified porcine activin on inhibin secretion and mRNA levels in granulosa cells obtained from immature, estrogen-treated rats. Cells were cultured for 48 h...

A melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH)-like peptide was isolated from rat hypothalamus by acid extraction, gel filtration chromatography, immunoaffinity chromatography using antiserum directed against salmon MCH, and two steps of HPLC using octadecyl columns. Several zones of immunoreactivity were isolated, and Edman degradation in a gas phase seque...

Although it is clear that human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and progesterone play fundamental roles in pregnancy, the regulation of placental production of these hormones remains to be defined. Recent evidence suggests that the human placenta expresses proteins related to inhibin (alpha beta subunits) or activin (beta beta subunits). Inhibin and a...

Activin, also named FSH-releasing protein, was previously shown to induce hemoglobin accumulation in K562 cells and potentiate the proliferation and differentiation of CFU-E in human bone marrow cultures. Present studies indicate that the potentiation effect of activin is lineage specific. In addition to CFU-E, activin caused an increase in the col...

Activin, also named FSH-releasing protein, was previously shown to induce hemoglobin accumulation in K562 cells and potentiate the proliferation and differentiation of CFU-E in human bone marrow cultures. Present studies indicate that the potentiation effect of activin is lineage specific. In addition to CFU-E, activin caused an increase in the col...