An insulin-family hormone with A and B chains that remodels connective tissue and dilates blood vessels.
Also known as: H2 relaxin · RLN2 · serelaxin (analog)
Part of the Foundational & therapeutic peptides cluster
Overview
Relaxin (H2 relaxin) is a peptide hormone of the insulin superfamily, built from A and B chains linked by disulfide bonds. Circulating relaxin-2 acts at the RXFP1 receptor and is studied for roles in reproductive physiology, extracellular-matrix remodeling and vasodilation. This page is educational and not medical advice.
Source & context
Biological / chemical source: Encoded by the RLN2 gene (corpus luteum, placenta, heart)
Primary research or clinical context: Reproductive and cardiovascular physiology research
Structure and receptor
Mature relaxin is a heterodimer of a 24-residue A chain and a 29-residue B chain joined by three disulfide bridges, produced from prorelaxin. It signals mainly through the leucine-rich GPCR RXFP1, structurally echoing insulin while acting on entirely different pathways.
Physiological roles
Relaxin softens connective tissue, remodels the extracellular matrix and increases lung perfusion, and it is a potent vasodilator with anti-fibrotic effects. A recombinant analog, serelaxin, has been investigated in acute heart-failure research, illustrating interest in the relaxin-RXFP1 axis.
FAQ about Relaxin
What is Relaxin?+
Relaxin (H2 relaxin) is a peptide hormone of the insulin superfamily, built from A and B chains linked by disulfide bonds. Circulating relaxin-2 acts at the RXFP1 receptor and is studied for roles in reproductive physiology, extracellular-matrix remodeling and vasodilation. This page is educational and not medical advice.
Is Relaxin an approved medicine?+
Relaxin is discussed here as a research / educational topic. Reproductive and cardiovascular physiology research. This is not medical advice.
What is the typical length of Relaxin?+
Relaxin is not a classic amino-acid chain peptide in the same sense; see the profile for classification details.