Catechol estrogen formation in the central nervous system of the rat

Conversion of estradiol and estrone to catechol estrogens by rat hypothalamic tissue but not by the cerebral cortex was demonstrated from the incubation of these tissues with estradiol-2-3H and estrone-2-3H and monitoring the incorporation of tritium into water. Direct evidence for this transformation was obtained by isolating the labelled phenazine derivative of 2-hydroxyestrone after hypothalamic incubation with estrone-4-14C.