Met-enkephalin levels in midbrain dopamine regions of inbred mouse strains which differ in the number of dopamine neurons.
The Met-enkephalin content in tissue micropunches of the substantia nigra zona compacta, ventral tegmental area and the caudate nucleus in BALB/c and CBA mouse strains was measured by radioimmunoassay. The CBA strain had significantly higher Met-enkephalin levels in all 3 regions than the BALB/c strain. These differences should be taken into account when relating the intensity of dopamine-induced behaviors to the number of dopamine neurons.
D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*
D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D004298:Dopamine