Reduced urocortin 1 immunoreactivity in the non-preganglionic Edinger-Westphal nucleus during late pregnancy in rats.
Pregnancy is accompanied by an array of adaptive changes that play an important role in pre- and postnatal events. In rats, urocortin 1, a corticotropin-releasing factor-like peptide, is expressed mainly in the non-preganglionic Edinger-Westphal nucleus. We investigated the number of neurons immunoreactive for urocortin 1 at three different levels of the Edinger-Westphal nucleus in female rats by immunohistochemistry. The number of urocortin 1 immunoreactive cells was found to be decreased in pregnant rats compared to virgin rats. These results indicate that the hormonal status of the female rat affects urocortin 1 immunoreactive neurons in the non-preganglionic Edinger-Westphal nucleus and its signaling to target brain areas.
Fatima
A
A
Institute of Medical Neurobiology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany. Ambrin.Fatima@Medizin.Uni-Magdeburg.DE
Haroon
M F
MF
Wolf
G
G
Engelmann
M
M
Spina
M G
MG
D000818:Animals; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors; D054832:Urocortins
D054832:Urocortins; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone