Relaxin and Related Peptides: Fourth International Conference, Volume 1041

Relaxin is a protein hormone, produced and secreted during pregnancy in mammalian species, having superficial structural features resembling those of insulin. Since its initial isolation from the ovaries of pregnant pigs in 1976, increasing interest in relaxin has led to increased understanding of the chemistry, synthesis, secretion, biological roles, mechanisms of action, and potential clinical applications of relaxin in humans and domestic animals.
In pigs, rats, and mice, relaxin promotes growth and softening of the cervix, enabling rapid and safe delivery of the fetuses. In these species relaxin also promotes growth and development of the mammary apparatus.
Recently, biological effects of relaxin in the heart, kidney, liver, and brain have been identified, and these discoveries have triggered additional interest in possible clinical applications for relaxin. In 2002, a second form of relaxin, which is found primarily in the brain, was discovered.
Relaxin–like factor (also called insulin 3), which was discovered in 1993, is produced in the fetal testis and plays a major role in testicular descent during development. The recent identification of the receptors for both relaxin and relaxin–like factor has enabled more rigorous studies of the target tissues and mechanisms of action of these hormones.
This volume contains a description of recent advances and future research and clinical possibilities in the field of relaxin and related peptides.
NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.
ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full–text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit www.nyas.org/membership/main.asp for more information about becoming a member.

Spis treści:
Preface (O David Sherwood).
Young Investigator Award Recipients.
Remembrance: Edmund S. Crelin (1923–2004) (Bernard G. Steinetz).
Opening Remarks: An "Old Hand′s" Perspective of Relaxin 2004′s Place Along the Relaxin Trail (O David Sherwood).
In Memoriam: Robert L. Kroc—A Relaxin Pioneer and So Much More (Bernard G. Steinetz).
Part I: Structure/Activity Aspects of Relaxin, Relaxin–Related Peptides, and Their Receptors.
1. Relaxin Research in the Postgenomic Era (Kazuhiro Kawamura, Satoko Sudo, Jin Kumagai, Margareta Pisarska, Sheau Yu Teddy Hsu, Ross Bathgate, John Wade, And Aaron J. W. Hsueh).
2. Characterization of the Mouse and Rat Relaxin Receptors (D J Scott, S Layfield, A Riesewijk, H Morita, G W Tregear, And R A D Bathgate).
3. Characterization of the Rat INSL3 Receptor (D J Scott, P Fu, P–J Shen, A Gundlach, S Layfield, A Riesewijk, H Tomiyama, J M Hutson, G W Tregear, And R A D Bathgate).
4. Identification of Binding Sites with Differing Affinity and Potency for Relaxin Analogues on LGR7 and LGR8 Receptors (Michelle L. Halls, Ross A. Bathgate, Satoko Sudo, Jin Kumagai, Courtney P. Bond, And Roger J. Summers).
5. LGR7–Truncate Is a Splice Variant of the Relaxin Receptor LGR7 and Is a Relaxin Antagonist in Vitro (D J Scott, G W Tregear, And R A D Bathgate).
6. The Human LGR7 Low–Density Lipoprotein Class A Module Requires Calcium for Structure (Emma J. Hopkins, Ross A. Bathgate, And Paul R. Gooley).
7. Studies on Soluble Ectodomain Proteins of Relaxin (LGR7) and Insulin 3 (LGR8) Receptors (Yan Yan, Jin Cai, Ping Fu, Sharon Layfield, Tania Ferraro, Jin Kumagai, Satoko Sudo, Jian–Guo Tang, Eleni Giannakis, Geoffrey W. Tregear, John D. Wade, And Ross A.D. Bathgate).
8. The Chemistry and Biology of Human Relaxin–3 (Geoffrey W. Tregear, Ross A. Bathgat e, Sharon Layfield, Tania Ferraro, Andrew Gundlach, Sherie Ma, Feng Lin, Nicola F. Hanson, Roger J. Summers, Johan Rosengren, David J. Craik, And John D. Wade).
9. Recent Progress in Relaxin–3–Related Research (Changlu Liu, Pascal Bonaventure, Steven W. Sutton, Jingcai Chen, Chester Kuei, Diane Nepomuceno, and Timothy W. Lovenberg).
10. Receptors for Relaxin Family Peptides (Ross A. Bathgate, Richard Ivell, Barbara M. Sanborn, O David Sherwood, And Roger J. Summers).
11. Expression of Porcine Prorelaxin in Transgenic Tobacco (Scott Buswell, Fabricio Medina–Bolivar, Qiang Chen, Kevin Van Cott, And Chenming Zhang).
Part IIA: Actions of Relaxin: Reproductive Tissues during Pregnancy.
12. Genetic Targeting of Relaxin and Insl3 Signaling in Mice (Shu Feng, Natalia V. Bogatcheva, Aparna A. Kamat, And Alexander I. Agoulnik).
13. Mechanisms of Relaxin Action in the Reproductive Tract: Studies in the Relaxin–Deficient (Rlx–/–) Mouse (Laura J. Parry, Jonathan T. McGuane, Helen M. Gehring, Irna Grace T. Kostic, and Andrew L. Siebel).
14. Oxytocin and Estrogen Receptor Expression in the Myometrium of Pregnant Relaxin–Deficient (Rlx–/–) Mice (Andrew L. Siebel, Helen M. Gehring, Lenka Vodstrcil, And Laura J. Parry).
15. Relaxin Regulates Endometrial Structure and Function in the Rhesus Monkey (Laura T. Goldsmith And Gerson Weiss).
16. Effects of the Sucking Stimulus on Relaxin Receptor (LGR7) Expression in the Mammary Apparatus of the Tammar Wallaby (Macropus eugenii) (Janey Gwyther, Helen M. Gehring, and Laura J. Parry).
17. Potential Binding Sites for Relaxin in Pregnant Rabbits (Phillip A. Fields and Michael J. Fields).
Part IIB: Actions of Relaxin: Reproductive Tissues in Nonpregnant Animals.
18. Porcine and Human Relaxin Bioactivity: Bioactivities of Porcine Relaxin and Human Relaxin Do Not Differ in Mice and Rats (Shuangping Zhao, Hyung–Yul Lee, and O D Sherwood).< br>19. Tissue–Specific Effects of Relaxin on the Reproductive Tract of Neonatal Gilts (Wenbo Yan, Anne A. Wiley, Frank F. Bartol, And Carol A. Bagnell).
20. Increased Expression of the Relaxin Receptor (LGR7) in Human Endometrium during the Secretory Phase of the Menstrual Cycle (Courtney P. Bond, Laura J. Parry, Chrishan S. Samuel, Helen M. Gehring, Fiona L. Lederman, Peter A. W. Rogers, and Roger J. Summers).
21. Relaxin–Induced Angiogenesis in Ovary Contributes to Follicle Development (Kyoko Shirota, Kayoko Tateishi, Makoto Emoto, Toru Hachisuga, Masahide Kuroki, and Tatsuhiko Kawarabayashi).
Part IIIA: Actions of Relaxin in Nonreproductive Tissues: Hemodynamic, Osmoregulatory, and Antifibrotic.
22. Role of Relaxin in Maternal Renal Vasodilation of Pregnancy (Kirk P. Conrad, Arun Jeyabalan, Leslie A. Danielson, Laurie J. Kerchner, And Jacqueline Novak).
23. Recombinant Human Relaxin (rhRLX) Modifies Systemic Arterial Properties in Conscious Rats Irrespective of Gender, but in a Biphasic Fashion (Dan O. Debrah, Kirk P. Conrad, Jackie Novak, Lee A. Danielson, And Sanjeev G. Shroff).
24. Renal Hemodynamic Effects of Relaxin in Humans (Marie Smith, John Davison, Kirk Conrad, And Lee Danielson).
25. The Relaxin Gene–Knockout Mouse: A Model of Progressive Fibrosis (Chrishan S. Samuel, Chongxin Zhao, Ross A.D. Bathgate, Xiao–Jun Du, Roger J. Summers, Edward P. Amento, Lesley L. Walker, Mary Mcburnie, Ling Zhao, And Geoffrey W. Tregear).
26. Relaxin Regulates Collagen Overproduction Associated with Experimental Progressive Renal Fibrosis (Chrishan S. Samuel, Ishanee Mookerjee, Rosemary Masterson, Geoffrey W. Tregear, And Tim D. Hewitson).
27. Relaxin Receptor Expression in Hepatic Stellate Cells and in Cirrhotic Rat Liver Tissue (Robert G. Bennett, Katrina J. Mahan, Martha J. Gentry–Nielsen, And Dean J. Tuma).
28. Relaxin Modulates Fibroblast Function, Collagen Production, and Matrix Metalloproteinase