Urocortin is consequently implicated in a number of stress responses, primarily relating to appetite and food intake.

Administration of urocortin to the central nervous system of mice and rats has been shown to decrease appetite.

[19] Urocortin has been shown to induce increases in heart rate and coronary blood flow when applied peripherally.

[21] Urocortin's cardiovascular effects separate it from other members of the CRF family, and likely represent its primary biological function.

[22] However, in amphibian species such as Xenopus laevis, urocortin is expressed in tissues such as brain, pituitary, kidney, heart, and skin.