[Indian hedgehog protein]: Precursor of indian hedgehog, a morphogen that activates the smoothened signaling pathway, and which is essential for bone and cartilage development (By similarity). The C- terminal part of the precursor displays an autoproteolysis and a cholesterol transferase activity, resulting (1) in the cleavage of the full-length protein into two parts, indian hedgehog protein N-product and C-product and (2) covalent attachment of a cholesterol moiety to the C-terminus of the newly generated N-product (By similarity). Both autoproteolysis and a cholesterol transferase activities occur in the endoplasmic reticulum (By similarity). Following additional lipidation, N-product acts as a morphogen, while C-product is degraded in the endoplasmic reticulum (By similarity). {ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:P97812, ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:Q62226}. [Indian hedgehog protein N-product]: The dually lipidated indian hedgehog protein N-product is a morphogen that activates the smoothened signaling pathway, and which is essential for bone and cartilage development (By similarity). Acts by binding to the patched receptor (PTCH1 or PTCH2), relieving smoothened (SMO) inhibition by patched, activating the smoothened signaling pathway and transcription of target genes (By similarity). In the absence of IHH, patched represses the constitutive signaling activity of SMO (By similarity). Plays a role in morphogenesis of the skeleton by coordinating growth and differentiation of the endochondral skeleton (By similarity). Positively regulates PTHLH expression during endochondral bone formation preventing chondrocyte hypertrophy (By similarity). In contrast, participates in normal chondrocyte proliferation in a PTHLH- independent pathway (By similarity). Involved in the development of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), photoreceptors and periocular tissues (By similarity). Plays a role in hedgehog paracrine signaling (PubMed:24342078). Associated with the very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles to function as a circulating morphogen for endothelial cell integrity maintenance (PubMed:20839884). {ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:P97812, ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:Q62226, ECO:0000269|PubMed:20839884, ECO:0000269|PubMed:24342078}. This is the function of IHH (Indian hedgehog signaling molecule, Ensembl gene identifier ENSG00000163501).