A DIFFERENT DISTRIBUTION OF CORTICOTROPIN RELEASING-FACTOR AND ARGININE VASOPRESSIN CONTENTS IN THE HYPOTHALAMIC NUCLEI AFTER ESTROGEN ADMINISTRATION

Abstract
The distribution of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) in hypothalamic nuclei were examined in control and estrogen-treated female rats. CRF activity was measured using monolayer cultured rat anterior pituitary cells and AVP by radioimmunoassay. Hypothalamic nuclei were punched out according to the method of Palkovits. The distribution of CRF activity in 5 different hypothalamic nuclei was similar to that of AVP in intact female rats. CRF activity in hypothalamic nuclei, pituitary ACTH content and plasma ACTH levels in estrogen-treated rats were not significantly different from those in control rats. Significance elevation of AVP content was observed in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of estrogen-treated rats. CRF and AVP are distributed similarly in hypothalamic nuclei, but they are not identical.

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