LUTEINIZING-HORMONE-RELEASING HORMONE IN HUMAN FETAL BRAIN

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 28  (10) , 1067-1071
Abstract
Hypothalamic and other brain tissues were obtained after death from human fetuses aborted by hysterectomy at various conceptional ages. Immunoreactive luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) activity in tissue extracts was determined by a double-antibody radioimmunoassay method. Fetal hypothalamic and cortical tissue at 5 wk after conception showed an assayable LHRH activity. At 6 wk, immunoreactive LHRH was detectable in extracts of both the hypothalamus and the cortex and levels appeared to fluctuate with a trend to increase until the 20th wk. At 13 and 14 wk conceptional age 2 of 4 fetuses had significantly higher LHRH activity in the thalamus than in the rest of the CNS. After 16 wk, LHRH activity was detected in the hypothalamus, cerebrum and cerebellum in decreasing concentrations, respectively. As the age of the fetus progressed from 16-20 wk, the LHRH concentration in the hypothalamus increased significantly, from 1.2 pg/mg-29.3 pg/mg of wet tissue. LHRH concentrations in specimens of comparable conceptional age that could not be promptly dissected were lower than in those dissected within 30 min after the ligation of uterine arteries.