Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 28 September 1973:
Vol. 181. no. 4106, pp. 1252 - 1253
DOI: 10.1126/science.181.4106.1252
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Biosynthesis of a Vasotocin-Like Peptide in Cell Cultures from Pineal Glands of Human Fetuses

S. Pavel 1, M. Dorcescu 1, Ruxandra Petrescu-Holban 1, and Elena Ghinea 1

1 Institute of Endocrinology, Bucharest, Rumania

Cultured cells from pineal glands of human fetuses release into their media a substance that has antidiuretic and hydroosmotic activities. The ratio of these activities as well as their susceptibility to tryptic digestion, specific oxidative inactivation by tyrosinase, and reductive inactivation by sodium thioglycollate, indicates the presence of a basic peptide, presumably identical with arginine vasotocin. The total amount of this peptide released into the culture media during 38 days of incubation is about ten times greater than the amount contained in nonincubated pineal glands from fetuses of the same age, strongly suggesting that fetal ependymal cells from the pineal gland can synthesize in vitro a peptide similar to arginine vasotocin.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Pineal Vasotocin: Release into Cat Cerebrospinal Fluid by Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone Release-Inhibiting Factor.
S. PAVEL, R. GOLDSTEIN, C. GHEORGHIU, and M. CALB (1977)
Science 197, 179-180
   Abstract »    PDF »
Arginine Vasotocin: Effects on Development of Reproductive Organs.
M. K. Vaughan, G. M. Vaughan, and D. C. Klein (1974)
Science 186, 938-939
   Abstract »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)