An attempt to characterize by immunocytochemical methods the enkephalin-like material in oxytocin endings of the rat neurohypophysis.
An antibody raised against dynorphin 1-8 was immunoreactive in the rat neurohypophysis in vasopressin but not in oxytocin endings. Oxytocin but not vasopressin terminals were immunostained when a Met5-enkephalin, a N-terminally directed monoclonal beta-endorphin antibody and an enkephalin-Met5-Arg6-Phe7 antibody were applied. The immunocytochemical reactions indicate that oxytocin terminals and their granules store pro-enkephalin-A derived opioid peptide fragments.
D000818:Animals; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000032:analysis*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000032:analysis*; D010904:Pituitary Gland, Posterior / Q000032:analysis / Q000166:cytology*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D011910:Rats, Brattleboro
D004745:Enkephalins; D010121:Oxytocin