Corticotrophin-releasing factor immunoreactivity in the hypothalamus of the rat during the perinatal period.
Corticotrophin-releasing factor-41 (CRF-41) immunoreactivity has been measured in hypothalamic extracts of fetal (on days 17, 19 and 21 of gestation), neonatal (1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks of age) and adult rats with a specific radioimmunoassay developed for synthetic rat CRF-41. The hypothalamic content (fmol) and concentration (fmol/mg protein) of immunoreactive CRF-41 gradually increased with age. Chromatography of hypothalamic extracts on Sephadex G-50 Fine showed one single peak of immunoreactive CRF-41 which co-eluted with synthetic rat CRF-41. The retention time of hypothalamic CRF-41 during high-performance liquid chromatography was identical to that of synthetic rat CRF-41 at all stages investigated. These results are consistent with the development of neurones containing CRF-41-like molecules in both the hypothalamus and the median eminence of the fetus, as well as with the hypothalamic control of the cortico-stimulating function of the pituitary gland as early as day 19 of gestation.
Chatelain
A
A
Laboratoire de Physiologie Animale, Faculté des Sciences, Amiens, France.
Boudouresque
F
F
Chautard
T
T
Dupouy
J P
JP
Oliver
C
C
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism*; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000032:analysis*; D005333:Fetus / Q000032:analysis*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000032:analysis / Q000196:embryology*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains / Q000378:metabolism*
D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone