Local degradation of growth hormone-release-inhibiting hormone (somatostatin) in the central nervous system.
Peptidases inactivating growth hormone-release-inhibiting hormone (somatostatin) were found to be present in two fractions prepared from the thalamus, hypothalamus, cortex and cerebellum of male and female rats. Somatostatin was also detected in significant quantities in fractions from the thalamus, hypothalamus, and cortex, after peptidase activity had been removed by heat denaturation. These results support the suggestion that somatostatin may function as a neurotransmitter or modulator of neuronal activity in the central nervous system.
Griffiths
E C
EC
Department of Physiology, University of Manchester, Manchester M 13 9PT, Great Britain; Department of Chemical Pathology, St. Thomas's Hospital, London SE1 7EH Great Britain.
Jeffcoate
S L
SL
Holland
D T
DT