Ontogenetic development of proenkephalin A and proenkephalin B messenger RNA in fetal pigs.
Using solution hybridization analysis and Northern blotting with complementary RNA probes labelled to high specific activity, levels of proenkephalin A and B mRNA were analyzed throughout prenatal development in the hippocampus and striatum of fetal pigs. A differential time course for the appearance of these opioid precursor mRNAs was observed: in hippocampus, both mRNAs increased linearly throughout development with proenkephalin B mRNA increasing faster than proenkephalin A mRNA. In striatum, both mRNAs behaved similarly, increasing to a maximum level around mid-gestation and declining thereafter. The differences might be attributed to differential localization of the two precursor systems in the tissues and might be of functional relevance.
Pittius
C W
CW
Institut für Neuropharmakologie, Max-Planck-Institut für Psychiatrie, Martinsried, Federal Republic of Germany.
Ellendorff
F
F
Höllt
V
V
Parvizi
N
N
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005865:Gestational Age; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D013552:Swine
D004745:Enkephalins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C029992:proenkephalin