Relaxin’s Physiological Roles and Other Diverse Actions
O. David Sherwood
Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology and College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
Correspondence: Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. O. David Sherwood, Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 524 Burrill Hall, 407 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801. E-mail: od-sherw{at}uiuc.edu
Relaxin has vital physiological roles in pregnant rats, mice,and pigs. Relaxin promotes growth and softening of the cervix,thus facilitating rapid delivery of live young. Relaxin alsopromotes development of the mammary apparatus, thus enablingnormal lactational performance. The actions of relaxin on themammary apparatus vary among species. Whereas relaxin is requiredfor development of the mammary nipples in rats and mice, itis essential for prepartum development of glandular parenchymain pregnant pigs. During pregnancy relaxin also inhibits uterinecontractility and promotes the osmoregulatory changes of pregnancyin rats. Recent studies with male and nonpregnant female rodentsrevealed diverse therapeutic actions of relaxin on nonreproductivetissues that have clinical implications. Relaxin has been reportedto reduce fibrosis in the kidney, heart, lung, and liver andto promote wound healing. Also, probably through its vasodilatoryactions, relaxin protects the heart from ischemia-induced injury.Finally, relaxin counteracts allergic reactions. Knowledge ofthe diverse physiological and therapeutic actions of relaxin,coupled with the recent identification of relaxin receptors,opens numerous avenues of investigation that will likely sustaina high level of research interest in relaxin for the foreseeablefuture.
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