The ontogeny of immunoreactive beta-endorphin and beta-lipotropin in the rat ovary
1Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110.
Abstract:
We have investigated the ontogeny of, and the effect of hypophysectomy on, immunoreactive beta-endorphin in rat ovaries. Total levels rose with ovarian weight from nondetectable levels at 5 days of age to approximately 0.15 pmol/ovary at 80 days; thereafter, the levels remained constant through 201 days of age. Hypophysectomy decreased both ovarian weight and the total content of immunoreactive beta-endorphin, but the concentration per weight was not significantly altered. Most of the immunoreactive beta-endorphin before puberty chromatographed like authentic beta-endorphin, but after puberty most chromatographed like beta-lipotropin. Hypophysectomy did not alter this chromatographic pattern.
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