Biomaterial Database

Sexual dimorphism in the distribution of alpha-neoendorphin-like immunoreactivity in the anterior pituitary of the rat. 1993

A R Bello, and O Kah, and D Croix, and P Ciofi, and G Tramu

UDI de Biologia Celular, Facultad de Biologia, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.

The localization of the opioid peptide alpha-neoendorphin (alpha-Neo-E) was studied in the anterior pituitary of normal and castrated male and normal female rats. Immunoreactive (ir) cells were noted in both sexes. These alpha-Neo-E-ir cells were further characterized using double immunostaining with an elution-restaining procedure. It was seen that in males, alpha-Neo-E-ir cells corresponded mainly to luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone cells and a few thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) cells, whereas in females, virtually all alpha-Neo-E-ir cells corresponded to TSH cells. Castration of male rats caused, within 3 to 5 days a dramatic decrease in the number of alpha-Neo-E-ir gonadotrophs, whereas the number of alpha-Neo-E-ir TSH cells tended to increase. Two weeks after castration, however, most alpha-Neo-E-ir cells were also follicle-stimulating hormone-ir. This study demonstrates that in the anterior lobe of the rat, alpha-Neo-E-ir is located within gonadotrophs and/or thyrotrophs, depending on the sex. In addition, results obtained following castration suggest that the expression of this peptide in the anterior pituitary depends upon the steroid environment, possibly indicating that alpha-Neo-E is implicated in the regulation of the pituitary-gonadal axis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D009919	Orchiectomy	The surgical removal of one or both testicles.	Castration, Male,Orchidectomy,Castrations, Male,Male Castration,Male Castrations,Orchidectomies,Orchiectomies
D010903	Pituitary Gland, Anterior	The anterior glandular lobe of the pituitary gland, also known as the adenohypophysis. It secretes the ADENOHYPOPHYSEAL HORMONES that regulate vital functions such as GROWTH; METABOLISM; and REPRODUCTION.	Adenohypophysis,Anterior Lobe of Pituitary,Anterior Pituitary Gland,Lobus Anterior,Pars Distalis of Pituitary,Adenohypophyses,Anterior Pituitary Glands,Anterior, Lobus,Anteriors, Lobus,Lobus Anteriors,Pituitary Anterior Lobe,Pituitary Glands, Anterior,Pituitary Pars Distalis
D011498	Protein Precursors		Precursors, Protein
D004723	Endorphins	One of the three major groups of endogenous opioid peptides. They are large peptides derived from the PRO-OPIOMELANOCORTIN precursor. The known members of this group are alpha-, beta-, and gamma-endorphin. The term endorphin is also sometimes used to refer to all opioid peptides, but the narrower sense is used here; OPIOID PEPTIDES is used for the broader group.	Endorphin
D005260	Female		Females
D005640	Follicle Stimulating Hormone	A major gonadotropin secreted by the adenohypophysis (PITUITARY GLAND, ANTERIOR). Follicle-stimulating hormone stimulates GAMETOGENESIS and the supporting cells such as the ovarian GRANULOSA CELLS, the testicular SERTOLI CELLS, and LEYDIG CELLS. FSH consists of two noncovalently linked subunits, alpha and beta. Within a species, the alpha subunit is common in the three pituitary glycoprotein hormones (TSH, LH, and FSH), but the beta subunit is unique and confers its biological specificity.	FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone),Follicle-Stimulating Hormone,Follitropin
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012727	Sex Characteristics	Those characteristics that distinguish one SEX from the other. The primary sex characteristics are the OVARIES and TESTES and their related hormones. Secondary sex characteristics are those which are masculine or feminine but not directly related to reproduction.	Gender Characteristics,Gender Differences,Gender Dimorphism,Sex Differences,Sex Dimorphism,Sexual Dichromatism,Sexual Dimorphism,Characteristic, Gender,Characteristic, Sex,Dichromatism, Sexual,Dichromatisms, Sexual,Difference, Sex,Dimorphism, Gender,Dimorphism, Sex,Dimorphism, Sexual,Gender Characteristic,Gender Difference,Gender Dimorphisms,Sex Characteristic,Sex Difference,Sex Dimorphisms,Sexual Dichromatisms,Sexual Dimorphisms
D013972	Thyrotropin	A glycoprotein hormone secreted by the adenohypophysis (PITUITARY GLAND, ANTERIOR). Thyrotropin stimulates THYROID GLAND by increasing the iodide transport, synthesis and release of thyroid hormones (THYROXINE and TRIIODOTHYRONINE). Thyrotropin consists of two noncovalently linked subunits, alpha and beta. Within a species, the alpha subunit is common in the pituitary glycoprotein hormones (TSH; LUTEINIZING HORMONE and FSH), but the beta subunit is unique and confers its biological specificity.	Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone,TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone),Thyreotropin,Thyrotrophin,Hormone, Thyroid-Stimulating,Thyroid Stimulating Hormone