The isolation of neurophysin-I and-II from bovine pituitary neurosecretory granules separated on a large scale from other subcellular organelles. Demonstration of slow equilibration of neurosecretory granules during centrifugation in a sucrose density gradient. 1968

C R Dean, and D B Hope

1. An improved procedure for the isolation of neurosecretory granules from the posterior lobe of the bovine pituitary gland is described. 2. Of the total oxytocic and pressor activities present in the original tissue 80% was sedimentable. 3. The granules were separated from mitochondria by prolonged centrifugation in a sucrose density gradient. During a sedimentation period of 5hr. the granules moved progressively into denser regions of the gradient and the mitochondria remained at the top. 4. The biological activities of the granules were measured: the oxytocic activity was 11.56+/-1.63 and the pressor activity was 15.60+/-3.91 units/mg. of protein. 5. A protein was isolated from a lysate of granules prepared from 40 pituitary glands. Amino acid analysis showed that it consisted of a mixture of neurophysin-I and neurophysin-II in equal proportions. It accounted for 60% of the soluble granule protein and for 50% of the total granule protein. 6. The neurophysins present in the granules are associated with 19.1 units of oxytocic and 21.1 units of pressor activity/mg. of protein. 7. Starch-gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of both neurophysins in extracts of 15 pituitary glands studied individually. 8. We conclude that the polypeptide hormones, oxytocin and [8-arginine]-vasopressin, are normally closely associated with the two neurophysins within neurosecretory granules of the pituitary gland.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008722 Methods A series of steps taken in order to conduct research. Techniques,Methodological Studies,Methodological Study,Procedures,Studies, Methodological,Study, Methodological,Method,Procedure,Technique
D008854 Microscopy, Electron Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen. Electron Microscopy
D009489 Neurosecretion The production and release of substances such as NEUROTRANSMITTERS or HORMONES from nerve cells. Neurosecretions
D010121 Oxytocin A nonapeptide hormone released from the neurohypophysis (PITUITARY GLAND, POSTERIOR). It differs from VASOPRESSIN by two amino acids at residues 3 and 8. Oxytocin acts on SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLS, such as causing UTERINE CONTRACTIONS and MILK EJECTION. Ocytocin,Pitocin,Syntocinon
D010904 Pituitary Gland, Posterior Neural tissue of the pituitary gland, also known as the neurohypophysis. It consists of the distal AXONS of neurons that produce VASOPRESSIN and OXYTOCIN in the SUPRAOPTIC NUCLEUS and the PARAVENTRICULAR NUCLEUS. These axons travel down through the MEDIAN EMINENCE, the hypothalamic infundibulum of the PITUITARY STALK, to the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland. Neurohypophysis,Infundibular Process,Lobus Nervosus,Neural Lobe,Pars Nervosa of Pituitary,Posterior Lobe of Pituitary,Gland, Posterior Pituitary,Infundibular Processes,Lobe, Neural,Lobes, Neural,Nervosus, Lobus,Neural Lobes,Pituitary Pars Nervosa,Pituitary Posterior Lobe,Posterior Pituitary Gland,Posterior Pituitary Glands,Process, Infundibular,Processes, Infundibular
D010909 Pituitary Hormones, Posterior Hormones released from the neurohypophysis (PITUITARY GLAND, POSTERIOR). They include a number of peptides which are formed in the NEURONS in the HYPOTHALAMUS, bound to NEUROPHYSINS, and stored in the nerve terminals in the posterior pituitary. Upon stimulation, these peptides are released into the hypophysial portal vessel blood. Neurohypophyseal Hormones,Pituitrin,Neurohypophyseal Peptides,Posterior Pituitary Hormones
D011506 Proteins Linear POLYPEPTIDES that are synthesized on RIBOSOMES and may be further modified, crosslinked, cleaved, or assembled into complex proteins with several subunits. The specific sequence of AMINO ACIDS determines the shape the polypeptide will take, during PROTEIN FOLDING, and the function of the protein. Gene Products, Protein,Gene Proteins,Protein,Protein Gene Products,Proteins, Gene
D002417 Cattle Domesticated bovine animals of the genus Bos, usually kept on a farm or ranch and used for the production of meat or dairy products or for heavy labor. Beef Cow,Bos grunniens,Bos indicus,Bos indicus Cattle,Bos taurus,Cow,Cow, Domestic,Dairy Cow,Holstein Cow,Indicine Cattle,Taurine Cattle,Taurus Cattle,Yak,Zebu,Beef Cows,Bos indicus Cattles,Cattle, Bos indicus,Cattle, Indicine,Cattle, Taurine,Cattle, Taurus,Cattles, Bos indicus,Cattles, Indicine,Cattles, Taurine,Cattles, Taurus,Cow, Beef,Cow, Dairy,Cow, Holstein,Cows,Dairy Cows,Domestic Cow,Domestic Cows,Indicine Cattles,Taurine Cattles,Taurus Cattles,Yaks,Zebus
D002499 Centrifugation, Density Gradient Separation of particles according to density by employing a gradient of varying densities. At equilibrium each particle settles in the gradient at a point equal to its density. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed) Centrifugations, Density Gradient,Density Gradient Centrifugation,Density Gradient Centrifugations,Gradient Centrifugation, Density,Gradient Centrifugations, Density

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