title: The melatonin receptors in rat ontogenesis.
abstract: The development of melatonin receptors in the rat pituitary and median eminence was studied using [125I]melatonin as a ligand. The specific binding was detected in pituitaries of 20-day-old fetuses already. The affinity of the receptor to the ligand (Kd) was in the range 63-133 pM and it did not change significantly during development. The pituitary concentration of [125I]melatonin binding sites was highest in 20-day-old fetuses (Bmax = 31 fmol/mg protein) and then it gradually decreased in the course of postnatal development, until it reached 10% of that value in 29-day-old males. In contrast, the concentration of melatonin receptors in median eminence did not change markedly in the course of development and it was about 15 fmol/mg protein. The marked decrease in the number of the pituitary receptors may be the cause of the reported developmental loss of the melatonin inhibitory effect on LHRH-induced LH release from anterior pituitary.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Prague.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vanĕcek
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008473:Median Eminence / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D008550:Melatonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D044094:Receptors, Melatonin; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D044094:Receptors, Melatonin; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; D008550:Melatonin