Concentration of Histamine in Different Parts of Brain and Hypophysis of Cat and Its Modification by Drugs
Year: 1966
Type: article
Abstract: In a previous study (Adam, 1961), it was shown that the regional distribution of histamine in dog's brain follows closely the pattern described for noradrenaline (Vogt, 1954) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) (Amin, Crawford & Gaddum, 1954).Further, it was suggested that in the hypophysis histamine derives in part from mast cells, in contrast to the brain, where the amine is contained in some other type of cell.Recent findings on the subcellular distribution of histamine in these tissues have confirmed this view (Michaelson & Dowe, 1963).The subject of brain histamine has been reviewed by Green (1964).The object of the present investigation was two-fold: (1) to obtain values for the concentration of histamine extractable from different parts of the cat's brain and hypophysis, and (2) to see if the concentration in the hypophysis and adjoining parts of the brain could be altered by drugs.The drugs were chosen mainly from those which are known to influence the metabolism of histamine (White, 1961) or of other amines in the brain (Shore, 1962).In the course of this work, we have confirmed the presence of mast cells in the cat's hypophysis (Gray, 1935) and attempted to study their number and distribution in the gland.We have also tested for the presence of certain pharmacologically active N-alkyl derivatives of histamine (Werle & Palm, 1952) in extracts of the brain and hypophysis.Some of the results presented in this paper were communicated at a meeting of the Physiological Society (Adam & Hye, 1964). METHODS DissectionCats of either sex weighing 2.5 to 4.5 kg were anaesthetized with ether and bled out.The brain was immediately removed together with the attached hypophysis, and dissected in the cold.From eight to 16 samples were removed at each dissection.Samples were collected from 30 different areas to study the regional distribution of histamine.The effect of drugs was studied in only eight of these areas: three in the hypophysis, four in the hypothalamus and one in the thalamus.The samples from these areas are described as follows:
Authors: H. M. ADAM, H. K. A. HYE
Language: English
Topic: Mast cells and histamine
Subfield: Immunology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2049352882