Hypothalamo-Neurohypophyseal Hormones and Neurophysins

Abstract

We know with certainty that ancient Greeks had known the neurohypophysis and that they assumed this brain structure to play a role of a certain filter serving to pass the mucous substance produced by the brain (“pituita”) to the nose. This idea seems to have been generally accepted until the turn of our century when vasopressoric, antidiuretic, uterotonic, and milk ejecting effects of neurohypophyseal extracts were all disclosed within a short interval. These findings prompted characterization, isolation and synthesis of biologically active and phylogenically close neurohypophyseal peptides and their protein carriers, neurophysins.