title: Biological function of prokineticins.
abstract: Secreted peptides have been implicated in diverse physiological functions. Prokineticins are a pair of regulatory peptides that signal through two highly homologous G protein-coupled receptors. Prokineticins possess a unique structural motif of five disulfide bonds and conserved N-terminal stretches. Diverse biological functions, ranging from development to adult physiology, have been attributed to prokineticins. Herein we provide an overview of current knowledge of this interesting pair of regulatory peptides.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. qzhou@uci.edu
authors.forename: Q-Y
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meidan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D010146:Pain; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D010465:Perception; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D042662:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Endocrine-Gland-Derived / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones; D009479:Neuropeptides; C423608:PROK2 protein, human; D010455:Peptides; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D014157:Transcription Factors; D042662:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Endocrine-Gland-Derived