Microspectrograpic analysis of formaldehyde-induced fluorescence in the quail adenohypophysis after injection of L-dopa and 5-hydroxytryptophan.

The spectral distribution of the formaldehyde-induced fluorescence emitted by model solutions and by adenohypophpyses after intraperitoneal injection of L-dopa or 5-hydroxytryptophan was analyzed microspectrographically. Based on previously reported studies and on present findings, it seems that dopamine is stored in the strongly fluorescent cells after injection of L-dopa, and that a compound closely related to 5-hydroxytryptophan. A non-specific, granular fluorescence appeared after 5-hydroxytryptophan and, to a lesser extend, L-dopa treatment. It probably represents autofluorescence of lysosomes, which are numerous in these circumstances.