Immunohistochemical localization of gamma-endorphin in the rat pituitary gland and hypothalamus.
To gain more information about cells and organelles involved in the secretion of gamma-endorphin in the rat pituitary gland, an immunohistochemical localization of this peptide was conducted at both light and electron microscopic levels. Using an antiserum to gamma-endorphin which shows little cross-reactivity with beta-lipotropin (beta-LPH) and beta-endorphin, it has been demonstrated that gamm-endorphin is present in all cells of the intermediate lobe and the corticotropic cells of the anterior lobe. At the electron microscopic level, staining for gamma-endorphin was restricted to the secretory granules which also contain ACTH and beta-LPH, suggesting that all of these peptides are released concomitantly during exocytosis. In the hypothalamus, immunostaining possibly related to both gamma- and beta-endorphin but not to beta-LPH was also observed in nerve fibers and not in cell bodies.
D000818:Animals; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004723:Endorphins / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000032:analysis* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007118:Immunoassay; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000032:analysis* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D018823:gamma-Endorphin
D004723:Endorphins; D018823:gamma-Endorphin