Hormone releasing factors and releasing hormones are signaling molecules produced by glands in multicellular organisms. The glands that secrete Luteinizing hormones LHRG and LH, FSH comprise the endocrine signaling system. The term growth hormone releasing hormone GHRH is sometimes extended to include chemicals produced by cells that affect the same cell (autocrine or intracrine signaling) or nearby cells (paracrine signaling). Human recombinant LHRG and GHRH are produced in E. coli or in yeast cells.The receptors are ligand binding factors of type 1, 2 or 3 and protein-molecules that receive chemical-signals from outside a cell. When such chemical-signals couple or bind to a receptor, they cause some form of cellular/tissue-response, e.g. a change in the electrical-activity of a cell. In this sense, am olfactory receptor is a protein-molecule that recognizes and responds to endogenous-chemical signals, chemokinesor cytokines e.g. an acetylcholine-receptor recognizes and responds to its endogenous-ligand, acetylcholine. However, sometimes in pharmacology, the term is also used to include other proteins that are drug-targets, such as enzymes, transporters and ion-channels.
