Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in the pituitary pars nervosa.
Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) is a widely distributed neuropeptide which has recently been found in the hypothalamus and in hypothalamo-hypophyseal portal blood. We have examined the pituitary of several mammalian species for the presence of VIP by immunocytochemistry and radioimmunoassay and report here that the pars nervosa contains a considerable quantity of VIP (100-250 fmol/mg) which, in the dog, can be shown to be present in nerve fibres. It is possible that neurohypophyseal VIP may be a local releasing agent for vasopressin.
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones / Q000032:analysis*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000032:analysis; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000032:analysis* / Q000294:innervation; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000032:analysis*
D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide