Comparison of diurnal and nocturnal rates of 5-hydroxytryptamine turnover in the rat mediobasal hypothalamus

Summary Rates of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) turnover in the mediobasal hypothalamus of male rats were estimated using pharmacological methods during the daytime and at night. Concentrations of 5-HT in this hypothalamic area were higher nocturnally than diurnally; this was apparently due to increased 5-HT synthesis and decreased 5-HT catabolism at night.Supported by NIH grant RR07187 (TSK) and NIH grant HD10202 (Neuroendocrine Core).     

Ovarian response of pinealectomized and intact white-footed mice kept under naturally short photoperiods

Summary Pinealectomized and intact adult female white-footed mice were maintained outdoors from 28 November to 2 January. At the termination of the experiment, ovarian weight was significantly greater (p<0.02) in the pinealectomized group compared with that of the intact animals. Microscopic examination of the ovaries revealed that those of the intact animals had fewer and smaller follicles than those from animals which had had their pineal glands removed.Supported by NSF grant PCM 77-05734 and NIH grant HD 10202 through the Center for Research in Reproductive Biology Morphology Core.     

Effects of prolactin (PRL) on gonadotropin release in mice with congenital PRL deficiency

Summary In prolactin (PRL)-deficient male dwarf mice, treatment with PRL stimulates the release of FSH without affecting plasma LH levels. We now report that this effect of PRL is not mediated by the testes and that PRL does not modify FSH or LH release in female dwarf mice.This work was supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development through a grand HD12642 and RIA Core of grant HD10202. We thank NIAMDD and Drs G.D. Niswender and L.E. Reichert, Jr, for reagents used in radioimmunoassays.     

Dynamics of estrogen binding by uterine cells in vivo

Summary The dynamics of the in vivo binding and release of tritiated estradiol in different uterine cell types are described. The very early binding of estrogens by the cytosol-nuclear and the eosinophil receptor systems is in accordance with the hypothesis that some estrogenic effects are mediated by these receptor systems.Acknowledgments. This work was supported in part by grant 2015 from the Servicio Técnico de Desarrollo Científico y Creación Artística of the University of Chile to the Laboratory of Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Experimental Morphology, University of Chile Medical School, by a Population Council Fellowship to Dr A. Tchernitchin from 1970 to 1972, by a Rockefeller Foundation grant to the Laboratories of Reproductive Biology, University of North Carolina Medical School, and by USPHS grant HD00371 to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. We wish to thank Drs W. E. Stumpf (Laboratories of Reproductive Biology, University of North Carolina Medical School) and A. M. Bongiovanni (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia) for the facilities available.     

Thymectomy modifies androgenizing effects of a testis transplant during critical period for neuroprogramming

Summary Thymectomy simultaneous with transplantation of a syngeneic testis from a littermate to Fischer 344 rats ameliorated the androgenizing effects of the testis transplant on ovarian morphology at 90 days of age.Supported by a Morseman Fellowship, NIH grants HD07097, AM21137 and NSF-RIAS grant SER77-06922.     

A daily rhythm in hCG binding to ovarian follicles of the cyclic hamster

Summary On each day of the estrous cycle hCG binding to follicle increased from 09.00 to 21.00 h; then hCG binding was static until 09.00 h of the next day. FSH binding did not exhibit rhythmicity. This pattern of hCG binding may be related to the pulsing of LH on each cycle day.Acknowledgments. This work was supported by grants from NICHD (15 526, KO478) to P.F.T. and Center grant to the Kansas Center of Mental Retardation and Human Development (HD 02528). A. K. was supported in part by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (Fulbright Foundation).     

Uterine fluid from progesterone treated rabbits contains subcellular membranes

Summary Uterine fluid from progesterone treated rabbits was shown to be rich in subcellular membrane components consisting of vesicles and cilia-like fragments. In contrast, uterine fluid from untreated does lacked subcellular membranes. Thus, they arise when uterine sperm capacitation ability is suppressed.The assistance of Mr R. Byrne is gratefully acknowledged. Mr K. Bedigian skilfully prepared the electron micrographs. Financial support was received from N.I.H. grant HD 10206-01.     

Differences in cerebral morphology in 2 stocks of mutant mice heterozygous for the loop-tail (Lp)-gene

Summary Adult loop-tail heterozygotes (Lp/+) from a stock ofLp-mice which consistently fail to show head wobbling exhibit normal brain morphology with respect to size and shape of lateral ventricles and nearby nuclei. Loop-tail heterozygotes from a head wobbling stock ofLp-mice show enlargement and deformity of the lateral ventricles.Supported by research grant HD09562 from the National Institutes of Health.     

Uterine fluid proteins bind sperm cholesterol during capacitation in the rabbit

Summary Cholesterol from rabbit sperm cells was bound by uterine fluid proteins following intrauterine insemination into ovulating does. Serum albumin has been identified as a uterine sterol acceptor. Progesterone administration suppressed binding and elevated the concentration of cholesterol, phospholipid, and protein. Uterine fluid cholesterol affinity, therefore, correlated with sperm capacitation activity in utero.I thank N. V. Davis for her assistance during this study. Financial support was received from N.I.H. grant HD 16238.     

Pineal inhibition of compensatory testicular enlargement in light-deprived hamsters

Zusammenfassung Halbseitige Kastration fÜhrt bei geblendeten Goldhamstermännchen mit Atrophie der Geschlechtsorgane nur nach Pinealektomie zu kompensatorischer Hodenhypertrophie.

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Supported by grant No. HD-02937 United States Public Health Service.

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U.S.P.H.S. Career Development Awardee (No. 1 K04 HD42398).     

Cell size and cell division of the anterior pituitary: Time course in the growing rat

Summary Pituitary cells increase their numbers more than 3-fold during the 1st 10 days of life while maintaining the same cell size ratios. In the 25-day-old animal, the rate of cell division slows and there is a slight increase in the number of larger cells. An increase in adult weight is attributed to hyperplasia and a shift to a population of larger cells.Supported by NIH grant HD08844.     

Preliminary attempts to terminate pregnancy by immunological attack on uterine protein

Zusammenfassung Der Einfluss von heterologen Antiseren gegen Uterusantigene auf die Schwangerschaft wird am Modell des Schweines und des Kaninchens studiert. In diesem Versuchstier werden Anhaltspunkte für eine beeinträchtigende Wirkung der Antiseren gefunden.

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This research supported by NIH grant No. R01 HD 04165.     

Amniotic fluid volume in experimentally induced renal agenesis and anencephaly

Zusammenfassung Experimentelle Prüfung beim Goldhamster,Mesocricetus auratus, ob Nieren- oder Gehirnmissbildungen einen Einfluss auf die Quantität der Amnionflüssigkeit ausüben, was nur für die Gehirnmissbildungen bejaht werden konnte.

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This work was supported by research grants from the Easter Seal Research Foundation of the National Society for Crippled Children and Adults, Inc. and from USPHS grant No. HD 03298.     

Allergic encephalomyelitis: Inhibition of cellular passive transfer by exogenous and endogenous steroids

Zusammenfassung Injektionen des Antientzündungssteroids Dexamethasone oder eine Hypersekretion des endogenen Kortikosteroids als eine Reaktion zum unspezifischen Stress verhindern die zelluläre passive Übertragung allergischer Enzephalomyelitis. Deshalb kann angenommen werden, dass Steroide die enzephalitogene Wirkung von vollkommen immunisierten Lymphoidzellen verhindern.

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Supported by National Multiple Sclerosis Society grant No. 536A10 and United States Public Health Service grant No. HD 02261-03. R.Sowinski and B. H.Brown assisted in the experiments. Dr. H. B.Devlin, Parke Davis & Co., Detroit, kindly supplied the pertussis vaccine.     

Effect of cortisone or triiodothyronine administration to pregnant rats on lysosomal hydrolases in fetal forebrain and cerebellum

Summary Triiodothyronine injected daily to pregnant rats for the last week of gestation (50 g/100 g b.wt) increased the specific activities of 5 acid glycosidases in the fetal forebrain and cerebellum. Cortisone (50 mg/100 g b.wt) administered in the same period had no effect on cerebellum acid hydrolases, but decreased their activity in the forebrain.Supported by grant No. HD 08536 from the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.     

Alterations of the erythrocyte membrane caused by fluorinated dinitrobenzenes

Zusammenfassung Inaktivierung der Acetylcholinesterase in der Erythrozytenmembran mit 1-Fluor-2,4-dinitrobenzol und 1,5-Difluor-2,4-dinitrobenzol konnte durch blutgruppenspezifische Antikörper nicht beeinflusst werden. Nach Difluordinitrobenzol-Behandlung zeigten die Blutkörperchen Verlust der Agglutinabilität und die Membranen eine Herabsetzung ihrer Absorptionsfähigkeit für homologe Antikörper.

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This work was supported by research grant No. HD 01461 from the National Institutes of Health, U.S.P.H.S.     

Volatile compounds associated with estrus in mouse urine: Potential pheromones

Summary Female mice that had been made estrous through hormone implantation excreted in their urine significantly enhanced levels of n-pentyl acetate,cis-2-penten-1-yl acetate, p-toluidine, 2-heptanone, and 3 unsaturated ketones. The relationship of these volatiles to a signaling function of the estrous urine is postulated. Structural elucidations of these compounds were carried out through capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and the synthesis of authentic samples.We gratefully acknowledge support of this research by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (grant No. PHS RO1 HD 14889-02). Author for correspondence: M.N.     

Effects of a bovine pineal peptidic fraction (E5) on plasma and pituitary levels of LH,FSH and prolactin

Summary Pituitary levels of prolactin were significantly diminished after 5 s.c. injections spaced 12 h apart of 5 g of a partially purified bovine pineal peptide fraction (E₅) in both intact and castrated rats. E₅ treatment did not significantly affect the castration-induced changes in plasma luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) or pituitary LH but did partially block the pituitary fall in FSH in castrated animals.Supported by NSF grant PCM 8003441 and NIH Center for Reproductive Biology (Bioassay Core) No.P30 HD 10202. Many thanks are due A. Moreno for his excellent technical assistance.     

Riboflavin enhancement of bilirubin photocatabolism in vivo

Zusammenfassung Intravenös verabreichtes Riboflavin-5-Monosodium-Phosphat-Salz (FMN) bewrikt eine beschleunigte Senkung des Plasma-Bilirubin-Spiegels bei Gunn-Ratten, wenn diese vorher fluoreszierendem Tageslicht (300 Kerzen) ausgesetzt waren. FMN beschleunigt ausserdem den Photozerfall in vitro. Die Bilirubin-Phototherapie durch Injektion eines geeigneten Katalysators wird diskutiert.

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Albino Gunn rat breeding stock was obtained through the courtesy of Dr.Lois Johnson, Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and hooded Gunn rat breeding stock through the courtesy ofMr. Richard L. Pierson, Rodent and Rabbit Production Section, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland. This investigation was supported in part by research grant HD 05745-01 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.     

Solubility of the hypothalamic hormones TSH-releasing factor (TRF) and LH-releasing factor (LRF) in organic and alcoholic solvents

Résumé L'hormone hypothalamique TRF (TSH-releasing factor) est soluble dans l'alcool méthylique à 90%, partiellement soluble dans l'alcool méthylique absolu ou le chloroforme; TRF n'est pas soluble dans la pyridine. Le chlorure de méthylène (dichlorométhane) n'extrait pas le TRF d'une solution aqueuse (préparation hautement purifiée, 15000 U/mg). L'hormone hypothalamique LRF (LH-releasing factor) n'est pas soluble dans le chloroforme mais est soluble dans l'alcool méthylique absolu ou à 90%.

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Supported by U.S.P.H.S. research grants No. AM 08290.03, No. HD 02577.01, training grant No. GM 956.04; also No. FR 00254 to Common Research Computer Facility, Texas Medical Center.