title: An in vivo steady-state method for the determination of catecholamine biosynthesis in the rat brain using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.
abstract: A technique is described for the measurement of steady-state catecholamine (CA) synthesis in the rat brain in vivo, using [3H]tyrosine incorporation with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and electrochemical detection. Adult male rats chronically implanted with lateral intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) cannulas, were injected i.c.v. with [3H]tyrosine. CA and tyrosine content and specific activity were measured in mediobasal hypothalamus, anterior hypothalamus and striatum. A time-dependent increase in CA synthesis occurred in all tissues over 20 min post-i.c.v. injection. The technique described may prove to be useful in the assessment of central neurotransmitter turnover in various physiological and pharmacological settings.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism; D004563:Electrochemistry; D007032:Hypothalamus, Anterior / Q000378:metabolism; D007033:Hypothalamus, Middle / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D014443:Tyrosine