Nociceptin

Nociceptin or orphanin FQ, a 17 amino acid neuropeptide, is the endogenous ligand for the nociceptin receptor (NOP, ORL-1). It is derived from the prepronociceptin protein, as are a further 2 peptides, nocistatin & NocII. The gene coding for prepronociceptin is located on Ch8p21 in humans.