title: Vasopressin coexists in half of the corticotropin-releasing factor axons present in the external zone of the median eminence in normal rats.
abstract: Electron-microscopic immunocytochemistry of serial thin sections showed that, in normal rats, approximately 50% of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) axons in the external zone of the median eminence contained vasopressin (AVP) and AVP precursor-derived peptides coexistent in the same secretory vesicles as CRF. The other 50% of the CRF axons contained little or no detectable AVP or AVP precursor-derived peptides. Differential activation of these subpopulations of CRF axons could provide a mechanism by which levels of CRF and AVP in portal plasma could be varied independently.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Whitnall
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Smyth
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gainer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000378:metabolism*; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008473:Median Eminence / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone