biology

Relaxin family peptide hormones

Relaxin family peptide hormones is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Relaxin family peptide hormones rather than just read about it. In short: Relaxin family peptide hormones in humans are represented by seven members: three relaxin-like (RLN) and four insulin-like (INSL) peptides: RLN1, RLN2, RNL3, INSL3, INSL4, INSL5, INSL6. This subdivision into two classes (RLN and INSL) is based primarily on early findings, and does not reflect the evolutionary origins or physiological differences between peptides.

Key takeaways

Relaxin family peptide hormones belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Relaxin family peptide hormones to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Relaxin family peptide hormones from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Relaxin family peptide hormones in humans are represented by seven members: three relaxin-like (RLN) and four insulin-like (INSL) peptides: RLN1, RLN2, RNL3, INSL3, INSL4, INSL5, INSL6. This subdivision into two classes (RLN and INSL) is based primarily on early findings, and does not reflect the evolutionary origins or physiological differences between peptides. For example, it is known that the genes coding for RLN3 and INSL5 arose from one ancestral gene, and INSL3 shares origin with RLN2 and its multiple duplicates: RLN1, INSL4, INSL6.

Genetics In humans and many other tetrapods, the RLN/INSL-encoding genes exist in four distinct clusters. The largest cluster contains four loci: RLN1, RLN2, INSL4 and INSL6, situated in tandem on human chromosome 9. This cluster arose from multiple local gene duplications that took place in the ancestor of placental mammals. The other three RLN/INSL genes exist as single loci in two linkage groups: RLN3 (chromosome 19), INSL3 (chromosome 19, 3.8 Mb apart from RLN3) and INSL5 (chromosome 1).

Synthesis and Structure All seven relaxin family peptide hormones are synthesized as pre-prohormones, and subsequently cleaved to form two chains stabilized by an intra-α-chain and two disulfide bonds. Members of the human relaxin peptide family share a similar tertiary structure, composed of a β-chain, c-chain, and α-chain at their carboxyl-terminal. All members of the relaxin family peptide hormones bind to their cognate receptors via residues present in their α- and β-chains.

Functions The physiological action of RLN and its tandem duplicates (RLN1, INSL4, INSL6) and INSL3 has been quite well studied in humans and mouse models. They are primarily associated with reproductive functions, such as the relaxation of uterine musculature and of the pubic symphysis during labor (RLN1 & RLN2), the progression of spermatogenesis (INSL6) and possibly trophoblast development (INSL4) and testicular descent and germ cell survival (INSL3). INSL5 is produced by L-cells in the colon, plays a physiological role in food intake, and may regulate metabolism and energy balance. RLN3 is thought to function in neuroendocrine regulation, and is predominantly expressed in the nucleus incertus (NI) of the hindbrain and locally affects regions of the central nervous system (CNS) including those responsible for appetite and stress regulation. RLN3 has also been found to stimulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and hence affects levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) in the blood.

Receptors

The receptors for the RLN/INSL peptides are collectively called "Relaxin family peptide receptors (RXFPs)". In humans there are four RXFP receptors (RXFP1-4) all of which are cell membrane-associated and coupled to G-proteins (known as G protein-coupled receptors or GPCRs). There are two distinct families of RXFPs: RXFP1 and RXFP2 are evolutionarily related to the receptors of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and LH, and are the cognate receptors for RLN and INSL3 respectively in humans. On the other hand, RXFP3 and RXFP4 are related to somatostatin and, in humans, are the cognate receptors for RLN3 and INSL5. There is evidence that some relaxin hormones may also be able to interact with glucocorticoid-type nuclear receptors, which float freely between the cytoplasm and nucleoplasm.

Receptor Genetics Four RXFPs in humans are located in different linkage groups. Additionally there are two RXFP pseudogenes ("RXFP3-3" and "RXFP2-like") which have functional counterparts in other species.

Evolution

In early deuterostomes The evolution of the gene family in primitive vertebrates is not well understood. For example, it has been shown that the gene coding for the ancestral relaxin peptide existed independently from the other genes of the insulin superfamily, i.e. INS and IGF genes, in the early chordate ancestor. It is known that the genes coding for RLN3 and INSL5 arose from one ancestral gene, and INSL3 shares origin with RLN2 and its multiple duplicates. However the exact origins of the family still remain to be elucidated. Other studies attempted to show the existence of relaxin family peptide genes in the tunicate Ciona, but it has not been shown that any of these are in the same linkage group as modern relaxin genes. Multiple relaxin genes have also been identified in Amphioxus, but again syntenic relationship of these genes to modern relaxin genes is unclear and experimental work is lacking. A relaxin-like peptide, previously referred to as "Gonad Stimulating Substance" was also characterized in the echinoderm Patiria pectinifera (starfish). There is evidence that the starfish peptide is involved in reproductive processes and functions via a GPCR, which supports its relatedness to vertebrate relaxins.

In vertebrates Relaxin peptides and their receptors are an example of vigorously diversified ligand-receptor systems in vertebrates. The number of peptides and their receptors is varied among vertebrates due to lineage specific gene loss and duplications For example, teleost fish have almost twice as many RXFP compared to humans, which is attributable to the Fish-Specific Whole Genome Duplication and teleost-specific gene duplication.

See also Relaxin Relaxin receptor Relaxin/insulin-like family peptide receptor 1

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Relaxin family peptide hormones

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Relaxin family peptide hormones claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Relaxin family peptide hormones before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Relaxin family peptide hormones ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Relaxin family peptide hormones

In research: Relaxin family peptide hormones appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Relaxin family peptide hormones in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Relaxin family peptide hormones is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Genes on human chromosome 1, Genes on human chromosome 19, Genes on human chromosome 9, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Relaxin family peptide hormones outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Relaxin family peptide hormones in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Relaxin family peptide hormones means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
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Frequently asked questions

What is Relaxin family peptide hormones in simple terms?

Why does Relaxin family peptide hormones matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Relaxin family peptide hormones?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Relaxin family peptide hormones.