Biomaterial Database

Immunoreactive corticotropin-releasing factor and corticotropin during pregnancy, labor and puerperium. 1987

T Laatikainen, and T Virtanen, and I Räisänen, and K Salminen

Department I of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.

Concentrations of immunoreactive corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) and corticotropin (ACTH) in the plasma were studied in healthy pregnant women. Concentration of CRF was near the detection limit of the assay (2.5 pmol/l) until the 16th week of pregnancy, increasing thereafter significantly towards term: the mean values (+/- S.E.) at weeks 8-11, 12-15, 16-19, 20-23, 24-27, 28-31, 32-35, and 36-40 were 2.9 +/- 0.42, 2.9 +/- 0.72, 5.2 +/- 1.1, 10.2 +/- 5.8, 14.6 +/- 2.0, 32.8 +/- 4.8, 63.6 +/- 9.2, and 187 +/- 39 pmol/l, respectively. The mean concentration of CRF did not increase during labor, and it decreased rapidly after delivery. On the contrary, the mean plasma level of ACTH increased only slightly during late pregnancy, but during labor the increase was significant. These findings suggest that CRF in maternal circulation is not primarily involved in the regulation of maternal ACTH secretion, and the stress of labor does not increase the release of CRF, which probably originates mainly from the placenta.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007743	Labor, Obstetric	The repetitive uterine contraction during childbirth which is associated with the progressive dilation of the uterine cervix (CERVIX UTERI). Successful labor results in the expulsion of the FETUS and PLACENTA. Obstetric labor can be spontaneous or induced (LABOR, INDUCED).	Obstetric Labor
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011261	Pregnancy Trimester, First	The beginning third of a human PREGNANCY, from the first day of the last normal menstrual period (MENSTRUATION) through the completion of 14 weeks (98 days) of gestation.	Early Placental Phase,Pregnancy, First Trimester,Trimester, First,Early Placental Phases,First Pregnancy Trimester,First Pregnancy Trimesters,First Trimester,First Trimester Pregnancies,First Trimester Pregnancy,First Trimesters,Phase, Early Placental,Phases, Early Placental,Placental Phase, Early,Placental Phases, Early,Pregnancies, First Trimester,Pregnancy Trimesters, First,Trimesters, First
D011262	Pregnancy Trimester, Second	The middle third of a human PREGNANCY, from the beginning of the 15th through the 28th completed week (99 to 196 days) of gestation.	Midtrimester,Pregnancy, Second Trimester,Trimester, Second,Midtrimesters,Pregnancies, Second Trimester,Pregnancy Trimesters, Second,Second Pregnancy Trimester,Second Pregnancy Trimesters,Second Trimester,Second Trimester Pregnancies,Second Trimester Pregnancy,Second Trimesters,Trimesters, Second
D011263	Pregnancy Trimester, Third	The last third of a human PREGNANCY, from the beginning of the 29th through the 42nd completed week (197 to 294 days) of gestation.	Pregnancy, Third Trimester,Trimester, Third,Last Trimester,Last Trimesters,Pregnancies, Third Trimester,Pregnancy Trimesters, Third,Third Pregnancy Trimester,Third Pregnancy Trimesters,Third Trimester,Third Trimester Pregnancies,Third Trimester Pregnancy,Third Trimesters,Trimester, Last,Trimesters, Last,Trimesters, Third
D011863	Radioimmunoassay	Classic quantitative assay for detection of antigen-antibody reactions using a radioactively labeled substance (radioligand) either directly or indirectly to measure the binding of the unlabeled substance to a specific antibody or other receptor system. Non-immunogenic substances (e.g., haptens) can be measured if coupled to larger carrier proteins (e.g., bovine gamma-globulin or human serum albumin) capable of inducing antibody formation.	Radioimmunoassays
D003346	Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone	A peptide of about 41 amino acids that stimulates the release of ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC HORMONE. CRH is synthesized by neurons in the PARAVENTRICULAR NUCLEUS of the HYPOTHALAMUS. After being released into the pituitary portal circulation, CRH stimulates the release of ACTH from the PITUITARY GLAND. CRH can also be synthesized in other tissues, such as PLACENTA; ADRENAL MEDULLA; and TESTIS.	ACTH-Releasing Hormone,CRF-41,Corticotropin-Releasing Factor,Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone-41,ACTH-Releasing Factor,CRF (ACTH),Corticoliberin,Corticotropin-Releasing Factor-41,ACTH Releasing Factor,ACTH Releasing Hormone,Corticotropin Releasing Factor,Corticotropin Releasing Factor 41,Corticotropin Releasing Hormone,Corticotropin Releasing Hormone 41
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000324	Adrenocorticotropic Hormone	An anterior pituitary hormone that stimulates the ADRENAL CORTEX and its production of CORTICOSTEROIDS. ACTH is a 39-amino acid polypeptide of which the N-terminal 24-amino acid segment is identical in all species and contains the adrenocorticotrophic activity. Upon further tissue-specific processing, ACTH can yield ALPHA-MSH and corticotrophin-like intermediate lobe peptide (CLIP).	ACTH,Adrenocorticotropin,Corticotropin,1-39 ACTH,ACTH (1-39),Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone,Corticotrophin,Corticotrophin (1-39),Corticotropin (1-39),Hormone, Adrenocorticotrophic,Hormone, Adrenocorticotropic