Abstract
Melatonin is the major endocrine product of the pineal gland in the mammalian brain and plays a variety of roles in photoperiodic functions. In order to investigate melatonin receptors, poly(A)+ RNA was extracted from pars tuberalis of the ovine pituitary and injected into oocytes of Xenopus laevis. After 3-5 days of incubation, functional melatonin receptors were expressed. Receptors were revealed by their inhibitory effect upon oscillatory currents resulting from AlF4-induced activation of G-proteins in the oocyte membrane under voltage clamp conditions. The effect of melatonin was dose-dependent, non-desensitizing and was not observed in uninjected oocytes.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 242-245 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Neuroscience Letters |
Volume | 124 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Apr 1991 |
Keywords
- melatonin
- receptor
- G-protein
- inositol trisphosphate
- Xenopus oocyte
- aluminium fluoride
- messenger RNA
- Pars Tuberalis
- Ovine Pars Tuberalis
- acetylcholine-receptors
- membrane
- adenylate-cyclase
- fluoride
- aluminium
- pineal
- brain
- sites