This gene encodes a member of the corticotropin-releasing hormone peptide family that participates in coordinating autonomic, endocrine, and behavioral responses to stress. The encoded preproprotein undergoes proteolytic processing to generate a mature, functional hormone. The pancreatic islets isolated from mice lacking the encoded protein secrete less insulin in response to high glucose concentrations. Transgenic mice overexpressing the encoded protein exhibit a metabolically favorable phenotype resisting obesity and hyperglycemia on a high-fat diet. [provided by RefSeq, Sep 2016]