title: Calcitonin gene related family peptides: importance in normal placental and fetal development.
abstract: Synchronized molecular and cellular events occur between the uterus and the implanting embryo to facilitate successful pregnancy outcome. Nevertheless, the molecular signaling network that coordinates strategies for successful decidualization, placentation and fetal growth are not well understood. The discovery of calcitonin/calcitonin gene-related peptides (CT/CGRP) highlighted new signaling mediators in various physiological processes, including reproduction. It is known that CGRP family peptides including CGRP, adrenomedulin and intermedin play regulatory functions during implantation, trophoblast proliferation and invasion, and fetal organogenesis. In addition, all the CGRP family peptides and their receptor components are found to be expressed in decidual, placental and fetal tissues. Additionally, plasma levels of peptides of the CGRP family were found to fluctuate during normal gestation and to induce placental cellular differentiation, proliferation, and critical hormone signaling. Moreover, aberrant signaling of these CGRP family peptides during gestation has been associated with pregnancy disorders. It indicates the existence of a possible regulatory role for these molecules during decidualization and placentation processes, which are known to be particularly vulnerable. In this review, the influence of the CGRP family peptides in these critical processes is explored and discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA, cyallamp@bcm.edu.
authors.forename: Chandra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yallampalli
authors.forename: Madhu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Endsley
authors.forename: Kunju
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sathishkumar
mesh_terms: D053607:Adrenomedullin / Q000502:physiology; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000502:physiology; D010920:Placenta / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018015:Receptors, Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C484330:ADM2 protein, human; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D018015:Receptors, Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D053607:Adrenomedullin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide