This gene encodes a mature peptide that is an active cyclic heptapeptide absolutely conserved from lamprey to human. The active peptide acts as a vasoconstrictor and is expressed only in brain tissue. Despite the gene family name similarity, this gene is not homologous to urocortin, a member of the sauvagine/corticotropin-releasing factor/urotensin I family. Most of the proprotein is cleaved to make the mature peptide. Transcript variants encoding different preproprotein isoforms have been described for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008].