Corticotropin‐releasing factor mRNA in the hypothalamus is affected differently by drinking saline and by dehydration

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Corticotropin‐releasing factor (CRF) stimulates the synthesis and release of adrenocorticotropin in the anterior pituitary and may help maintain fluid and electrolyte balance. ‘Salt‐loaded’ rats had an increase in CRF mRNA in hypothalamic magnocellular neurons of the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei and a decrease in message in the parvocellular paraventricular neurons. After salt‐loaded rats were adrenalectomized, CRF mRNA increased in the parvocellular cells. In contrast to salt loading, water deprivation lead to a decrease in CRF mRNA in magnocellular and parvocellular neurons. These results show that CRF synthesis within separate populations of hypothalamic neurons is regulated differently under various conditions.