Laparoscopy and hysteroscopy.

This article serves as a general review of laparoscopy and hysteroscopy. Subjects covered include equipment and instrumentation, use of laser and electrosurgery, surgical technique, and complications.

Developmental changes in the processing of ACTH in the anterior pituitary of the amphibian, Ambystoma tigrinum.

Acid extracts of anterior pituitaries obtained from larval, neotene, postmetamorphic young adult, and sexually active adult Ambystoma tigrinum were fractionated by gel filtration and analyzed by RIA. In larval, neotene, and postmetamorphic adults the molar ratio of ACTH(1-39) to alpha-MSH was, respectively, 1.3:1, 1:1.3, and 1:1.3. However, in sexually mature adults the molar ratio of ACTH(1-39) to alpha-MSH was 8:1. These results indicate that prior to and immediately after metamorphosis, both ACTH(1-39) and alpha-MSH are major end products of corticotropic cells in this species. As postmetamorphic animals reach sexual maturity, there is a shift in the processing of ACTH which yields ACTH(1-39) as the major end product of corticotropic cells. In the corticotropic cells of adults only trace amounts of alpha-MSH are produced.

Detection of adrenocorticotropin-related and alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone-related substances in the anterior pituitary of larval and adult Ambystoma tigrinum (class: Amphibia).

Immunohistochemical analysis revealed the colocalization of ACTH-related immunoreactive forms and alpha-MSH-related immunoreactive forms in corticotropic cells of the anterior pituitary of larval Ambystoma tigrinum. Subsequent analysis of acid extracts of anterior pituitaries obtained from larval, neotene, and postmetamorphic adults indicated that the molar ratio of ACTH(1-39) to alpha-MSH was, respectively, 2.5:1, 1:1.5, and 1:1.3. However, in sexually mature adults the molar ratio of ACTH(1-39) to alpha-MSH was 8:1. These results indicate that before and immediately after metamorphosis, both ACTH(1-39) and alpha-MSH are major end products of corticotropic cells in this species. As postmetamorphic animals reach sexual maturity, ACTH(1-39) is a major end product of corticotropic cells and only trace amounts of alpha-MSH are produced. Thus in A. tigrinum the proteolytic processing of ACTH in corticotropic cells is developmentally regulated. The alpha-MSH-related peptide produced by the corticotropic cells appears to be an ACTH(1-13)amide-like form.

Isolation of alpha-melanotropin from the pars intermedia of the larval amphibian, Ambystoma tigrinum.

The effect of background adaptation on the steady-state levels of alpha-melanotropin in the pars intermedia of the larval amphibian. Ambystoma tigrinum, was investigated. Acid extracts of pars intermedia obtained from light-adapted and dark-adapted animals were analyzed by radioimmunoassay following Sephadex gel filtration chromatography, reverse-phase HPLC, and Sulfopropyl Sephadex cation-ion-exchange chromatography. For both background adaptation conditions similar results were obtained. The major form of alpha-melanotropin present in the pars intermedia has the following properties: (1) an apparent molecular mass of 1.5 kDa; (2) a net charge at pH 3.5 of +4; and (3) a retention time following reverse-phase HPLC similar to that of synthetic ACTH(1-13)amide. In dark-adapted animals a minor form of alpha-melanotropin which has a net charge of +3 at pH 3.5 was also detected. The latter form represented approximately 10% of the total alpha-melanotropin immunoreactivity in the pars intermedia of dark-adapted animals. These results strongly suggest that the predominant form of alpha-melanotropin in the pars intermedia of larval A. tigrinum is a nonacetylated ACTH(1-13)amide-like polypeptide.