Abstract
This chapter discusses the neurotrophic action of melanocortins. Upon binding to specific receptors on the outside of the cell membrane, peptide hormones initiate a specific physiological response in their target cells. For adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) and the adrenal cortex cell, this response involves the enhanced synthesis and release of corticosteroid hormone. The chapter discusses the trophic influence of melanocortins in repair of neural damage; the possible role of these peptides in brain and body development and growth is surveyed. The neurotrophic effect of these peptides are related to a naturally occurring signal early in the regeneration process, and such peptides or their active analogs thus may prove to be a new lead in the research for effective pharmacotherapy of nerve damage. The production of a neurotrophic peptide in the injured nerve is by no means the only or the predominant event in the repair process.
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