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Neuropeptides in anterior pituitary development
Author(s) -
Cimini Vincenzo
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
international journal of developmental neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.761
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1873-474X
pISSN - 0736-5748
DOI - 10.1016/s0736-5748(03)00072-8
Subject(s) - neuropeptide , pituitary gland , anterior pituitary , biology , medicine , endocrinology , galanin , enteroendocrine cell , neuroendocrinology , endocrine system , morphogenesis , endocrine gland , neuroscience , hormone , receptor , gene , biochemistry
Recent studies using biotechnological methods have achieved significant advances in our knowledge of molecular mechanisms underlying pituitary gland development and the differentiation of pituitary cytotypes. A large number of neuropeptides have been reported in the adult pituitary gland as well as in the central and peripheral nervous system. The early presence of neuropeptides during pituitary development is reviewed here. Neuromedin U (NmU), galanin and the polypeptide 7B2 have been localised to different endocrine cells of the gland. Their expression seems to be manifold even though it is temporally and spatially regulated. There is now firm immunocytochemical evidence that neuropeptides are present during morphogenesis of the pituitary and can be present simultaneously with all pituitary hormones.