Opiomelanocorticotropic-like hormones in Vipera aspis pituitary.

By using immunohistochemical techniques (indirect immunofluorescence and PAP) adrenocorticotropic-like hormone (ACTH), alpha-melanocyte stimulating-like hormone (alpha-MSH), beta-lipotropic-like hormone (beta-LPH), and beta-endorphin-like (beta-EP) have been localized in the pituitary gland of newborn and adult Vipera aspis. The immunolocalization have been compared with the classical histochemical staining and the data show that the opiomelanocorticotropic-like cells resembles the B3 cells of the current literature. In the intermediate lobe both in adults and in newborns the same cells exhibit immunoreactivity for all the peptides considered, while in the rostral region of the pars distalis a difference has been observed between adults and newborns. In the adults, the cells immunostain for ACTH, beta-LPH, and beta-EP but not for alpha-MSH while in the newborns, the same cells show immunoreactivity for ACTH, beta-LPH, alpha-MSH but not for beta-EP. It has been hypothesized that in Vipera during maturation the pars distalis and the intermediate lobe can differently process the common precursor molecule.