High Levels ofβ-Endorphin in Hypophyseal Portal Blood*
- 1 May 1980
- journal article
- research article
- Published by The Endocrine Society in Endocrinology
- Vol. 106 (5) , 1323-1326
- https://doi.org/10.1210/endo-106-5-1323
Abstract
β-Endorphin was measured by RIA in the hypophyseal portal blood of six pig-tailed monkeys after pituitary stalk section. The mean β-endorphin concentration was 4,770 pg/ml (range, 2,900-10,500 pg/ml). This was more than 100 times greater than the mean simultaneous peripheral venous concentration, which was 45 pg/ml. After gel filtration of the portal plasma extracts, the majority of β-endorphin immunoactivity eluted as a single peak coincident with synthetic β-endorphin standard. The demonstration of high levels of β-endorphin in the hypophyseal portal blood suggests that endogenous opioids of hypothalamic origin are secreted into the portal blood and may directly affect the pituitary. (Endocrinology106: 1323, 1980)Keywords
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