STUDIES ON THE PRESENCE OF VASOPRESSIN, OXYTOCIN AND VASOTOCIN IN THE PINEAL GLAND, SUBCOMMISSURAL ORGAN AND FETAL PITUITARY GLAND: FAILURE TO DEMONSTRATE VASOTOCIN IN MAMMALS

The demonstration of vasotocin in the mammalian pineal gland, subcommissural organ and fetal pituitary gland by bioassay has led to hypotheses regarding the function of this hormone in various reproductive processes. Preliminary examinations of the pineal gland and subcommissural organ with a specific radioimmunoassay failed to show vasotocin immunoreactivity. The presence of vasotocin, vasopressin and oxytocin in the pineal gland, subcommissural organ and fetal neurohypophysis was therefore investigated, using three specific radioimmunoassays. Frog and chicken pituitary glands were used to validate the vasotocin radioimmunoassay. Direct measurements in diluted homogenates of pituitary glands from frogs, chickens, mid-term fetal sheep and near-term fetal seals revealed the presence of vasotocin only in the frog and chicken pituitary glands, while vasopressin and oxytocin were found in the two fetal pituitary homogenates. Vasopressin and oxytocin were measured in homogenates of rat and bovine pineal glands and in preparations of the subcommissural organ of rats and rabbits after extraction with Vycor glass powder, but no specific vasotocin immunoreactivity was observed. These results indicate a discrepancy between the reported biological activity of vasotocin in the pineal gland, subcommissural organ and fetal pituitary gland and the immunoreactivity of this material, which can at present only be explained by the presence of a peptide which is structurally closely related to, but not identical with, vasotocin.

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Characterization of an ovine glucocorticoid receptor cDNA and developmental changes in its mRNA levels in the fetal sheep hypothalamus, pituitary gland and adrenal

Journal of Molecular Endocrinology ◽

10.1677/jme.0.0080173 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 173-180 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

K. Yang ◽

G. L. Hammond ◽

J. R. G. Challis

Keyword(s):

Pituitary Gland ◽

Relative Abundance ◽

Glucocorticoid Receptors ◽

Mrna Translation ◽

Developmental Changes ◽

Mrna Levels ◽

Fetal Sheep ◽

Tissue Specific ◽

Fetal Tissues ◽

Pituitary Glands

ABSTRACT Fetal sheep tissues possess glucocorticoid receptors (GR), and these change in number during the last two-thirds of gestation. There is, however, no information about developmental changes in tissue GR mRNA levels which might account for alterations in fetal GR content. We have therefore cloned and sequenced a 942 bp GR cDNA from a sheep liver cDNA library, and used it to study the relative abundance of GR mRNA in fetal and neonatal sheep tissues. Analysis of the cDNA revealed a partial sequence of the ovine GR which displayed over 80% identity with residues 143–453 in human GR and 163–472 in rat GR. Furthermore, the first zinc finger motif in these receptors was perfectly conserved among species. The relative abundance of GR mRNA was studied in hypothalami, anterior pituitary glands and adrenals in fetuses at days 60–70, 100–110, 125–130 and at term (approximately 145 days), and in newborn lambs. Total RNA extracts (20 μg) were analysed by Northern blot analysis. A single 5.6kb transcript was detected in all three fetal tissues, and its relative abundance did not change significantly throughout gestation. However, in newborn lambs, levels of GR mRNA increased significantly in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland but decreased to undetectable levels in the adrenal. These tissue-specific changes in the relative abundance of GR mRNA did not correlate with alterations in GR content in fetal tissues, which suggests that the latter may reflect alterations in GR mRNA translation, subsequent modifications and/or GR turnover. In addition, the pattern of developmental changes in GR mRNA content of the adrenal differs from that of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland in neonatal lambs, and indicates that tissue-specific factors may influence GR gene expression in neonatal sheep.

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Anatomical identification of the neuroendocrine system in the Nothobranchius furzeri brain

10.1101/2020.10.15.342014 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Eunjeong Do ◽

Yumi Kim

Keyword(s):

Pineal Gland ◽

Pituitary Gland ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Endocrine System ◽

Neuroendocrine System ◽

Main Body ◽

Nothobranchius Furzeri ◽

Pituitary Glands ◽

Basic Features ◽

The Brain

AbstractThe hypophysis functions as a central gland of the neuroendocrine system for regulating fundamental body physiology. Upon aging, several hormones produced by the endocrine system are dramatically altered. Recently, Nothobranchius furzeri (the turquoise killifish) has become a popular model for aging studies because of its short lifespan and highly conserved aging phenotypes. However, the anatomical details of the major neuroendocrine system of the killifish have not been investigated so far. In this study, we have identified the pituitary and pineal glands of the turquoise killifish, which are critical components of the brain endocrine system. These two neuroendocrine glands were weakly attached to the main body of the killifish brain. The pineal gland was located on the dorsal part of the brain, while the pituitary gland was located on the ventral part. Brain sections containing pineal and pituitary glands were performed and revealed that cells in both the pituitary and pineal glands are densely placed than any other regions of brain. Further, three-dimensional images both in pineal and pituitary glands were uncovered their distinctive cellular arrangements. Vasopressin intestinal peptide (VIP) was strongly expressed in the neurohypophysis of the pituitary gland. Glial cells were found inside the pineal gland, while astrocytes covered the outside. These findings illustrate basic features of the neuroendocrine system of Nothobranchius furzeri.

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METABOLIC STUDIES WITH 131I-LABELED THYROXINE. II.

Acta Endocrinologica ◽

10.1530/acta.0.0440475 ◽

1963 ◽

Vol 44 (3) ◽

pp. 475-480 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

R. Grinberg

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Central Nervous System ◽

Nervous System ◽

Optic Nerve ◽

Pituitary Gland ◽

Time Interval ◽

Time Intervals ◽

Pituitary Glands ◽

The Central Nervous System ◽

Tentative Explanation

ABSTRACT Radiologically thyroidectomized female Swiss mice were injected intraperitoneally with 131I-labeled thyroxine (T4*), and were studied at time intervals of 30 minutes and 4, 28, 48 and 72 hours after injection, 10 mice for each time interval. The organs of the central nervous system and the pituitary glands were chromatographed, and likewise serum from the same animal. The chromatographic studies revealed a compound with the same mobility as 131I-labeled triiodothyronine in the organs of the CNS and in the pituitary gland, but this compound was not present in the serum. In most of the chromatographic studies, the peaks for I, T4 and T3 coincided with those for the standards. In several instances, however, such an exact coincidence was lacking. A tentative explanation for the presence of T3* in the pituitary gland following the injection of T4* is a deiodinating system in the pituitary gland or else the capacity of the pituitary gland to concentrate T3* formed in other organs. The presence of T3* is apparently a characteristic of most of the CNS (brain, midbrain, medulla and spinal cord); but in the case of the optic nerve, the compound is not present under the conditions of this study.

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THE EXTRACTION OF PROLACTIN FROM HUMAN PITUITARY GLANDS

Acta Endocrinologica ◽

10.1530/acta.0.0490001 ◽

1965 ◽

Vol 49 (1) ◽

pp. 1-16 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

M. Apostolakis

Keyword(s):

Growth Hormone ◽

Pituitary Gland ◽

List Type ◽

Distilled Water ◽

Hormone Activity ◽

Isoelectric Precipitation ◽

Human Pituitary ◽

Pituitary Glands ◽

Prolactin Content ◽

The Mean

ABSTRACT A method for the extraction of prolactin from human pituitary glands is described. It is based on acetone drying, distilled water extraction, acetone and isoelectric precipitation. Two main products are obtained: Fraction R8 with a mean prolactin activity of 12.2 IU/mg and fraction U8 with a mean prolactin activity of 8.6 IU/mg. The former fraction does not contain any significant gonadotrophin activity and the latter contains on an average 50 HMG U/mg. In both cases contamination with ACTH and MSH is minimal. The growth hormone activity of both these fractions is low. It is postulated that in man too, prolactin and growth hormone are two distinct hormones. A total of 1250 human pituitary glands have been processed by this method. The mean prolactin content per pituitary gland has been found to be 73 IU.

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ACTION OF ENZYME DIGESTED PITUITARY GLANDS OF THE SKIPPER-FROG ON THE OVULATION OF THE SAME

Acta Endocrinologica ◽

10.1530/acta.0.xxxiii0255 ◽

1960 ◽

Vol XXXIII (II) ◽

pp. 255-260 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

L. S. Ramaswami ◽

A. B. Lakshman

Keyword(s):

Pituitary Gland ◽

Constant Temperature ◽

Constant Temperature Bath ◽

Predominant Role ◽

Lower Vertebrates ◽

Pituitary Glands ◽

Stimulating Factor

ABSTRACT By using enzymes, the gonadotrophic factors in the skipper-frog pituitary glands have been selectively inactivated or destroyed. By incubating a known number of pituitary gland homogenate with ptyalin in a constant temperature bath for 5–6 h the follicle-stimulating factor is inactivated; with trypsin or pepsin, the luteinizing factor is inactivated. Bioassay on gravid skipper-frogs indicate that the ptyalin digested homogenate brings about profuse spawning while the trypsin or pepsin digested homogenates do not. When a combination of ptyalin digested and trypsin digested homogenates is injected into fresh gravid skipper-frogs, poor spawning is brought about. These experiments show that the luteinizing factor alone brings about more profuse spawning than when it is combined with the follicle-stimulating factor. It is likely, therefore, that in the lower vertebrates the luteinizing factor of the pituitary gland plays a more predominant role. The exact proportions in which the different dosages for the control and test animals are administered are also tabulated.

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Melatonin Modulates Lactation by Regulating Prolactin Secretion Via Tuberoinfundibular Dopaminergic Neurons in the Hypothalamus- Pituitary System

Current Protein and Peptide Science ◽

10.2174/1389203721666200511093733 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (8) ◽

pp. 744-750 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hongyang Li ◽

JingyaWei ◽

Fengtao Ma ◽

Qiang Shan ◽

Duo Gao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pineal Gland ◽

Pituitary Gland ◽

Antioxidant Capacity ◽

Dopaminergic Neurons ◽

Growth And Development ◽

Endocrine System ◽

Mammary Glands ◽

Prolactin Secretion ◽

The Body ◽

Stimulation Of

In-depth studies have identified many hormones important for controlling mammary growth and maintaining lactation. One of these is melatonin, which is synthesized and secreted by the pineal gland to regulate circadian rhythms, improve antioxidant capacity, and enhance immunity. Prolactin is secreted by the pituitary gland and is associated with the growth and development of mammary glands as well as initiation and maintenance of lactation. The hypothalamus-pituitary system, the most important endocrine system in the body, regulates prolactin secretion mainly through dopamine released from tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic neurons. This review provides a reference for further study and describes the regulation of lactation and prolactin secretion by melatonin, primarily via the protection and stimulation of tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic neurons.

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In-vivo and in-vitro secretion of prolactin by lactating rat adenohypophyses as a function of intracellular age

Journal of Endocrinology ◽

10.1677/joe.0.1010027 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 101 (1) ◽

pp. 27-32 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

F. Mena ◽

G. Martínez-Escalera ◽

C. Clapp ◽

C. E. Grosvenor

Keyword(s):

Pituitary Gland ◽

Incubation Period ◽

Gel Electrophoresis ◽

Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽

Polyacrylamide Gel ◽

Pituitary Glands ◽

H 26

ABSTRACT Adenohypophysial prolactin of lactating rats was pulse-labelled by [3H]leucine injected i.v. at the time of removal of the pups. The [3H]prolactin concentration in the pituitary gland, analysed by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, progressively fell as the time from labelling to removal of the pituitary gland increased from 8 to 24 h, which suggests that there was a loss of hormone as it aged within the gland. Suckling effectively provoked the depletion–transformation of total and [3H]prolactin (extracted at pH 7·2) when applied after 8 h but not when applied after either 16 or 24 h after removing the pups. In rats whose pups were removed for 8 h, suckling also depleted–transformed [3H]prolactin labelled 4 h, but not that labelled 1 h before suckling. The pituitary glands of other lactating rats were labelled with [3H]leucine injected i.v. at various times before removing the glands and incubating them in medium 199. The secretion into the medium of [3H]prolactin labelled either 4, 8, 16 or 24 h beforehand was maximal during the first 30 min then declined from 30 to 240 min of incubation. However, secretion of prolactin labelled 1 h and 10 min beforehand reached a maximum after 0·5–1 h and 2 h of incubation respectively, then remained constant during the remainder of the 4-h incubation period. The total 4-h secretion of [3H]prolactin was greatest (65% of preincubation concentration) from those glands labelled 4 h before in contrast to those labelled 10 min (15%) or 1 (38%), 8 (34%), 16 (18%) or 24 h (26%) before incubation. Taken together, these data suggest that prolactin synthesized 4 h earlier is more likely to be released in response to physiological stimuli than is more recently formed prolactin or prolactin which has remained in the pituitary gland for 16 h or longer. J. Endocr. (1984) 101, 27–32

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Time scales of autonomic information flow in near-term fetal sheep

Frontiers in Physiology ◽

10.3389/fphys.2012.00378 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

M. G. Frasch ◽

B. Frank ◽

M. Last ◽

T. Müller

Keyword(s):

Time Scales ◽

Information Flow ◽

Fetal Sheep ◽

Near Term

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The corticotrophic cells of the canine pituitary gland in pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism

Journal of Endocrinology ◽

10.1677/joe.0.0960303 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 96 (2) ◽

pp. 303-309 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

A. M. McNicol ◽

H. Thomson ◽

C. J. R. Stewart

Keyword(s):

Central Nervous System ◽

Nervous System ◽

Pituitary Gland ◽

Cushing’S Disease ◽

Cushing's Disease ◽

Human Pituitary ◽

Human Pituitary Gland ◽

Single Entity ◽

Pituitary Glands ◽

Corticotrophic Cells

The distribution of specifically stained corticotrophic cells has been studied in the pituitary glands of 11 dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism. The results suggest that the disease is not a single entity, and that some cases are caused by primary abnormality of the pituitary gland whereas others appear to be the result of dysfunction of the hypothalamus or central nervous system. The patterns correspond closely to those demonstrated in the human pituitary gland in Cushing's disease, and confirm that the canine disease is a useful model for the study of the pathogenesis of the variants of the condition.

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