The effects of pregnancy and parturition on the levels of substance P-like immunoreactivity in different areas of the hypothalamus.
1. The concentrations of substance P-like immunoreactivity (SPLI) have been measured in the rostral and caudal areas of the hypothalamus of male rats and of virgin, pregnant and puerperal female rats. 2. The rostral:caudal ratio of SPLI is similar in males and virgin females, but diminishes in pregnancy and decreases further during the puerperium. In the pre-optic area, the SPLI concentration fell significantly during parturition, from 241.8 to 177.2 pmols/g wet weight (P < 0.05), and in the medio-basal hypothalamus, the concentration rose during pregnancy and parturition, from 87.4 to 145.5 pmols/g wet weight (P < 0.001). 3. The results are discussed in relation to the endocrine and nociceptive aspects of pregnancy and parturition.
Amira
S
S
Department of Physiology, University of Leeds, U.K.
Morrison
J F
JF
Rayfield
K M
KM
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D007033:Hypothalamus, Middle / Q000378:metabolism; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000378:metabolism*; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013373:Substance P / Q000378:metabolism*
D013373:Substance P