Corticotropin-releasing factor, urocortin 1, and their receptors in the mouse spinal cord.

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and urocortin 1 (Ucn1) are involved in stress adaptation. CRF receptor 1 (CRF1) binds CRF and Ucn1 with similar high affinity, but CRF receptor 2 (CRF2) binds Ucn1 with higher affinity than CRF. We tested the hypothesis that in the spinal cord CRF and Ucn1 control peripheral components of the stress response, by assessing the distribution of CRF- and Ucn1-containing fibers, CRF1 and CRF2 mRNAs, and CRF receptor protein (CRFR) in the mouse spinal cord, by using immunofluorescence and in situ hybridization.