Evolution of the Corticotropin-releasing Hormone Signaling System and Its Role in Stress-induced Phenotypic Plasticity

Developing animals respond in variation in their habitats by altering their rules of development and/or their morphologies (i.e., they exhibit phenotypic plasticity). In vertebrates, one mechanism by which plasticity is expressed is through activation of the neuroendocrine system, which transduces environmental information into a physiological response. Recent findings of ours with amphibians and of others with mammals show that the primary vertebrate stress neuropeptide, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), is essential for adaptive developmental responses to environmental stress. For instance, CRH-dependent mechanisms cause accelerated metamorphosis in response to pond-drying in some amphibian species, and intrauterine fetal stress syndromes in humans precipitate preterm birth. CRH may be a phylogenetically ancient developmental signaling molecule that allows developing organisms to escape deleterious changes in their larval/fetal habitat. The response to CRH is mediated by at least two different receptor subtypes and may also be modulated by a secreted binding protein.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73287/1/j.1749-6632.1999.tb07877.x.pd