Pineal Hydroxyindole-O-methyl Transferase Activity in the Growing Rat
Generate an AI Snapshot to get a quick, structured summary of this paper.
A concise AI-generated summary of the paper will appear here once you click Generate AI Snapshot.
TL;DR
A dramatic decrease in relative activity was observed to suggest a relative decrease in melatonin production occurs after 21 days which might permit previously inhibited sexual maturation to develop.
Abstract
Pineal hydroxyindole-O-methyl transferase activity was measured in growing rats as an estimate of melatonin production during maturation. No significant HIOMT was found at 10 days or earlier. At 14 days HIOMT/gland was 40% of the 8- to 10-week value. Sympathetic innervation, changes in vascularization and metabolite concentrations were discussed as possible mechanisms initiating production of the enzyme. If total HIOMT activity was compared to body weight, a dramatic decrease in relative activity was observed to develop after a peak at 21 days. This was interpreted to suggest a relative decrease in melatonin production occurs after 21 days which might permit previously inhibited sexual maturation to develop. (Endocrinology84: 1523, 1969)