[6] It is widely expressed in various developing organs such as the blastocyst,[7] placenta,[8] heart,[9] kidney,[10] endothelium, and is circulating in human plasma.

After translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum and cleavage of the signal peptide, the proprotein of 32 amino acids may generate several active fragments.

[14] The ELABELA -APLNR signaling axis is required for formation of the coronary vessels of the heart in mice through the sinus venosus progenitors.

Amgen has created a camel antibody[18] and a small molecule[19] agonist capable of mimicking the function of ELA towards it cognate receptor APLNR.

[20] An opinion published in the Lancet in 2019 suggested that ELABELA could be used to treat intrauterine growth restriction and maternal morbidity linked to eclampsia.