Biesalski H K, Welker H A, Thalmann R, Vollrath L
Department of Anatomy, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, F.R.G.
Neurosci Lett. 1988 Aug 15;91(1):41-6. doi: 10.1016/0304-3940(88)90246-7.
In mammals, the indolealkylamine melatonin is synthesized mainly in the pineal gland and to a lesser degree in a number of extrapineal sites. To obtain more information on its distribution, melatonin was measured in the membranous cochlea of the guinea pig. Moreover, melatonin and other serotonin derivatives were determined in organ cultures after incubation with 14C-labelled serotonin. The results show that melatonin is detectable in the organ of Corti and the basilar membrane, and to a lesser degree also in the cochlear nerve and stria vascularis, including the spiral ligament. In vitro studies reveal the occurrence of a number of radiolabelled serotonin derivatives indicating that two of the melatonin-forming enzymes, serotonin N-acetyltransferase (NAT) and hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase (HIOMT) are present in membranous cochlea. It is concluded that melatonin is synthesized in the guinea pig cochlea. Its role as modulator of hair cell function is dissolved.
在哺乳动物中，吲哚烷基胺褪黑素主要在松果体合成，在一些松果体外部位合成量较少。为了获取更多关于其分布的信息，我们检测了豚鼠膜性耳蜗中的褪黑素。此外，在用14C标记的血清素孵育后的器官培养物中测定了褪黑素和其他血清素衍生物。结果表明，在柯蒂氏器和基底膜中可检测到褪黑素，在耳蜗神经和血管纹（包括螺旋韧带）中也能检测到，但含量较少。体外研究显示存在多种放射性标记的血清素衍生物，表明膜性耳蜗中存在两种形成褪黑素的酶，即血清素N - 乙酰转移酶（NAT）和羟基吲哚 - O - 甲基转移酶（HIOMT）。结论是豚鼠耳蜗中可合成褪黑素。其作为毛细胞功能调节剂的作用尚不明确。 （注：原文最后一句“ Its role as modulator of hair cell function is dissolved.” 这里的“dissolved”翻译可能不准确，结合语境也许是“尚不明确”之类的意思，你可根据实际情况调整。）
