Abstract
DEVELOPMENTAL studies on the enzymes which form melatonin, the putative pineal hormone, indicate that it probably is not formed in rats before the tenth day of life1–3. Melatonin could nevertheless arise in animals younger than 10 days of age by transfer from the mother, and we now describe how we have investigated this possibility by determining whether 3H-acetyl-melatonin injected into a pregnant rat could be detected in its foetuses.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
We are sorry, but there is no personal subscription option available for your country.
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Zweig, M., and Snyder, S. H., Commun. Behav. Biol., 1, 103 (1968).
Klein, D. C., and Lines, S. V., Endocrinology, 84, 1523 (1969).
Cardinali, D. P., and Rosner, J. M., Endocrinology, 89, 301 (1971).
Kopin, I. J., Pare, C. M. B., Axelrod, J., and Weissbach, H., J. Biol. Chem., 235, 1992 (1961).
Klein, D. C., and Notides, A., Anal. Biochem., 31, 430 (1969).
Berg, G. R., and Klein, D. C., Endocrinology, 89, 453 (1971).
Wurtman, R. J., and Axelrod, J., Adv. Pharmacol., 6A, 141 (1969).
Klein, D. C., and Weller, J. L., Science, 169, 1093 (1970).
Quay, W. B., Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med., 115, 710 (1964).
Lynch, H., Life Sci., 10, 791 (1971).
Vaughan, M. K., Vaughan, G. M., and O'Steen, W. K., J. Endocrinol., 51, 211 (1971).
Reiter, R. J., and Fraschini, F., Neuroendocrinology, 51, 219 (1969).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
KLEIN, D. Evidence for the Placental Transfer of 3H-Acetyl-Melatonin. Nature New Biology 237, 117–118 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio237117a0
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio237117a0