title: Brain histamine levels in the hamster during the estrous cycle and on selected days of pregnancy.
abstract: Brain histamine levels were determined in golden hamster hypothalamus and 'brain minus hypothalamus' on each of the 4 days of the estrous cycle and on selected days of pregnancy. The highest histamine content of the hypothalamus was observed on day 3 of the estrous cycle. The highest histamine content of the hypothalamus was observed on day 3 of the estrous cycle, which is the day prior to recurrence of heat on day 4. Day 4 terminates in ovulation. The histamine level in the remainder of the brain peaked on day 2. During gestation the histamine content of the 'brain minus hypothalamus' was greatest on day 5, while the maximum content of histamine in the hypothalamus was not reached until day 8. After the 8th day of pregnancy, there was an overall decline in brain histamine that continued until parturition. The hypothalamic histamine level in nonpregnant females was not different from that of males. However, in the remainder of the brain, histamine levels in females on days 1 and 2 of the estrous cycle were higher than in males.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D006224:Cricetinae; D004971:Estrus; D005260:Female; D006632:Histamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D008647:Mesocricetus; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006632:Histamine