title: Distribution of immunoreactive melanin-concentrating hormone in the central nervous system of the rat.
abstract: The distribution of melanin-concentrating hormone-like immunoreactivity (MCH-LI) in 41 microdissected brain and spinal cord regions was determined using radioimmunoassay with antibodies to salmon MCH. The highest concentration of MCH-LI was detected just ventral to the zona incerta (subzona incerta) (2923.2 fmol/mg protein). Very high concentrations of MCH-LI (greater than 1000 fmol/mg protein) were detected also in the nucleus of the diagonal band, medial forebrain bundle, posterior hypothalamic nucleus and medial mammillary nucleus. High concentrations of the peptide (between 500-1000 fmol/mg protein) were measured in 11 brain regions, including bed nucleus of stria terminalis, paraventricular nucleus, anterior hypothalamic nucleus, median eminence, parabrachial nucleus. Moderate concentrations of MCH-LI (between 250-500 fmol/mg protein) were measured in 16 brain regions, such as frontal cortex, central amygdaloid nucleus, medial septum, periventricular nucleus (preoptic) and nucleus of the solitary tract. Low concentrations of MCH-LI (less than 250 fmol/mg protein) were measured in 9 brain regions such as cortical areas, hippocampus, caudate nucleus and substantia nigra. Cervical spinal cord and neurointermediate lobe of the pituitary gland contain low concentrations of the peptide.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004027:Diencephalon / Q000032:analysis; D007028:Hypothalamic Hormones; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000032:analysis; D008543:Melanins / Q000032:analysis*; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000032:analysis; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000032:analysis; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000032:analysis*; D011149:Pons / Q000032:analysis; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000032:analysis; D013687:Telencephalon / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D007028:Hypothalamic Hormones; D008543:Melanins; D010907:Pituitary Hormones; C019463:melanin-concentrating hormone