Vasopressin and oxytocin content of human fetal brain at different stages of gestation.
Pituitaries from 38 human fetuses and 5 microdissected hypothalamic areas from each of 14 fetuses were assayed for vasopressin and oxytocin. The fetuses were between 15 and 34 weeks of gestation. Vasopressin and oxytocin were found in all the pituitary glands and all the hypothalamic areas studied. A trend of increasing content of both hormones was found in the pituitary gland towards the end of gestation with a marked increase in vasopressin/oxytocin ratio. The human fetus synthesizes oxytocin and vasopressin at least from 15 weeks of gestation and the presence of both hormones in the hypothalamus is not limited to the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei.
D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000196:embryology*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000032:analysis*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000196:embryology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D010121:Oxytocin