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Peptidic and Proteic Substances Isolated from Pineals and Their Relation to the Hypophysial-Hypothalamic-Gonadal Axis

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The Pineal Gland and its Endocrine Role

Part of the book series: NATO Advanced Science Institutes Series ((NSSA,volume 65))

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Abstract

At the ultrastructural level, processes implicated in the synthesis and release of peptidic/proteic compounds have been clearly identified in pineal specific cells (Collin, 1979, 1981; Collin and Oksche, 1981; Pévet, 1979, 1981a,b, 1982a,b). Thus the synthesis and release of peptidic/proteic substances cannot be discarded. The isolation, purification and characterization of this class of pineal compounds have however presented a formidable challenge, since extraction methods for peptide purification have failed to yield large quantities of pure compounds, sufficient for structure elucidation. Moreover, a simple and specific bioassay, indispensable for the isolation of biologically active compounds has not been available till now. Different observations however support the presence of pineal peptidic and proteic substances showing a definite biological activity.

Our research is supported by grants of The Netherlands Organization for the Advancement of Pure Research (ZWO) through the Foundation for Medical Research (FUNGO) No. 13-35-33 and for the Foundation for Biological Research (BION) No. 14.70.03.

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  1. Department of Organic Chemistry, State University of Utrecht, The Netherlands

    I. Ebels

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  1. I. Ebels
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  1. National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    J. Axelrod

  2. University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    F. Fraschini

  3. University of Verona, Verona, Italy

    G. P. Velo

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Ebels, I. (1983). Peptidic and Proteic Substances Isolated from Pineals and Their Relation to the Hypophysial-Hypothalamic-Gonadal Axis. In: Axelrod, J., Fraschini, F., Velo, G.P. (eds) The Pineal Gland and its Endocrine Role. NATO Advanced Science Institutes Series, vol 65. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-1451-7_9

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