Urocortin (UCN) is a 40-amino acid neuropeptide that functions as an endogenous ligand for corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptors 1. UCN binds with high affinity to CRF receptor types 1, 2-alpha, and 2-beta, with >10-fold higher affinity for the CRF(2) receptor compared to CRF itself 1. In the central nervous system, UCN is predominantly expressed in the Edinger-Westphal nucleus and lateral superior olive 1, and serves as the preferred endogenous ligand for CRF(2) receptors based on its neuroanatomical distribution 1. UCN exhibits dual roles: it stimulates ACTH secretion 2 while functioning as a potent suppressor of appetite and food intake, being more effective in this regard than CRF 12. Notably, UCN exerts cardioprotective effects more potently than CRF, including enhanced cardiac contractility and resistance to ischemia/reperfusion injury 2. This suggests UCN plays a key role in cardiovascular stress responses. Clinically, emerging research demonstrates UCN's neuroprotective potential in intracerebral hemorrhage models through anti-inflammatory mechanisms that reduce brain edema and blood-brain barrier disruption 3, positioning it as a potential therapeutic target for neurological conditions. The gene structure comprises two exons with the entire coding region in exon 2 4.