Calcitonin is a peptide hormone that lowers blood calcium level and inhibits bone resorption. It belongs to the calcitonin family of peptides, which also includes amylin , calcitonin gene-related peptide , and adrenomedullin. The binding of salmoncalcitonin to the human calcitonin receptor (CTR) is not modulated by receptor activity-modifying proteins (RAMPs), which influence affinity of human calcitonin to CTR. Salmoncalcitonin binds to human CTR2 with IC50 values of 0.933, 0.224, 0.134, and 0.317 nM alone and with RAMP1, 2, or 3, respectively. It induces cAMP accumulation in COS-7 cells transfected with CTR2 (EC50 = 0.166 nM). Salmoncalcitonin inhibits bone resorption by osteoclasts in a pit formation assay using rat bone slices (ID50 = 0.003 pg mL) and lowers calcium level in vivo in a bioassay of hypocalcemia in rats (ED15 = 33.9 mg kg). Formulations containing salmoncalcitonin have been used to treat hypercalcemia, bone destruction by osteoporosis, and Paget's disease.