替莫唑胺-PLGA纳米缓释微球的制备及体外药效研究

目的制备理想的可用于控制胶质瘤细胞生长进而可抑制胶质瘤的替莫唑胺-PLGA纳米缓释微球。方法用超声乳化-溶剂挥发法制备替莫唑胺-PLGA纳米缓释微球。选择测试了四种不同分子量的缓释微球的表面形态特征,并测量微球直径。检测载药量和包封率,分析制作参数、形态特征以及绘制释放曲线。结果替莫唑胺-PLGA缓释微球是一种结构稳定、大小均匀的缓释微球。分子量越大,微球直径越大。高分辨光镜及电镜观察,微球表面光滑,无裂隙,微球无明显聚集,微球大小均匀。不同分子量的TMZ-PLGA缓释微球最大载药量为10.2%,包封率都在90%以上。二氯甲烷残留量为5.70‰,达到了颅内安全应用的要求。从释放曲线可以看出,缓释系统中替莫唑胺可以持续释放2周以上,符合间质内化疗所要求的周期。结论 PLGA非常适合作为制备缓释微球的缓释载体。所制备的替莫唑胺-PLGA缓释微球符合生物力学规律,替莫唑胺虽有突释效应,但药物缓释时间可控。不同分子量及不同载药量的缓释微球均能长时间持续释放替莫唑胺。     

全反式维甲酸-聚酸酐长效缓释剂研制及可行性分析

目的：以可生物降解高分子材料聚酸酐(Polyanhydrides,PAD) 作载体,包埋全反式维甲酸（ATRA）,研制长效缓释微球ATRA-PAD肿瘤治疗剂。建立高效液相色谱法(HPLC)测定体系,以检测缓释治疗剂中ATRA含量,探讨体内外ATRA经时缓释变化规律。方法：采用乳剂一扩散溶剂挥发法制备维甲酸长效缓释微球ATRA-PAD肿瘤治疗剂,扫描电镜检测微球外观及微球粒径,HPLC检测微球载药量、包封率及体内外释药量。结果：所制治疗剂微球光滑圆整,大小均一,平均粒径：(154．42?6.76) nm,载药率：(16.52?1.45)％,包封率：(87.84?.79)％;体外释放实验证明该微球治疗剂可持续释放ATRA约50天,将其肌肉注射到大耳白兔体内,可稳定缓释ATRA近约45天。结论：ATRA-PAD治疗剂制备工艺合理,载药量及包封率均较高,体内外释药释药平稳并且具有明显的长效缓释作用。     

乳酸-羟基乙酸共聚物载药纳米粒的制备及体外释药性

摘要 背景：医用纳米粒作为药物传递的新型载体,目前已经成为医药领域研究的重点。 目的：构建以生物可降解材料乳酸-羟基乙酸共聚物为载体,负载抗肿瘤药物5-氟尿嘧啶的载药纳米粒。 方法：利用复乳-溶剂挥发法制备乳酸-羟基乙酸共聚物载药纳米粒。场发射扫描电子显微镜观察纳米粒表面形态;激光粒度分析仪测定粒径分布并计算成球率;紫外分光光度计测定5-氟尿嘧啶载药量、包封率,并对体外释药进行评估。 结果与结论：纳米粒呈球性,平均粒径为(186±14) nm,成球率、载药量和包封率分别为70.8%、6.6%、28.1%,体外释药有突释现象,24 h内5-氟尿嘧啶累积释药量达36.2%,10 d达83.6%。提示成功制备乳酸-羟基乙酸共聚物载药纳米粒,其具有缓释效应。 关键词：乳酸-羟基乙酸共聚物;5-氟尿嘧啶;纳米粒;体外释药;缓释 doi:10.3969/j.issn.1673-8225.2011.16.017     

重组人骨形态发生蛋白2缓释微球的制备与评价*☆

目的：针对重组人骨形态发生蛋白2(recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2,rhBMP-2)在体内半衰期短、易被稀释代谢的问题，探讨利用聚乳酸-羟基乙酸共聚物(PLGA)制备载rhBMP-2微球的可行性和制备工艺，并观察其载药、释药特性。 方法：①采用W/O/W型复乳化-溶剂挥发技术制备rhBMP-2/PLGA缓释微球，并对微球的粒径和形态、包封率和载药量，体外释放性质进行测定。②异位成骨实验：昆明小鼠12只，在右侧大腿股内侧肌袋内植入含rhBMP-2的50 mg PLGA微球，4周后取材，观察成骨情况以初步检测微球中的蛋白质活性。 结果：①rhBMP-2/PLGA缓释微球形态良好，粒径主要集中在50~60 μm，包封率为（37.52±4.31）%，载药率为（5.12±1.32）%。②微球的释放存在突释，7 d内释放的药物量超过40%，大约90%的药物量于42 d内释放完全。③载药微球植入鼠股部肌袋4周，材料周围有明显的骨形成。 结论:制备的rhBMP-2/PLGA微球可以缓慢释放有活性的rhBMP-2，具有临床应用的可行性。     

bFGF-PLGA微球促进兔静脉皮瓣成活实验研究

摘要: 目的　应用W/O/W复乳-干燥法制备碱性成纤维细胞生长因子-聚乳酸-聚羟基乙酸共聚物（bFGF-PLGA）微球,考察其对新西兰大白兔静脉皮瓣成活的影响。方法　应用正交设计试验进一步优化bFGF微球的制备工艺,采用优化处方制备bFGF-PLGA微球,并考察其外观形态和粒径分布,检测其载药量和包封率,研究其体外释药的性质;以新西兰大白兔为实验模型制作侧腹壁静脉皮瓣,并术前5天分别皮内注入bFGF-PLGA（缓释微球组）和bFGF浸渍/固化PLGA(空微球组)生理盐水(生理盐水组) 。术后, ①计算术后7天皮瓣的成活面积; ②取兔皮肤标本行CD34+免疫组化染色,检测CD34+表达情况及平均血管数。结果　所制微球表面光滑圆整,球体均匀度好,无黏连现象。微球粒径的98%分布在12.50～43.49μm之间,平均粒径为26.93μm,径距0.611±6.60。载药量为[(23.11±0.44 )×10-3]%,包封率为(86.51±0.83) %。突释期内微球的体外释放度为27.78% , 30d后体外累积释放度高达81.56% ,微球的体外释药规律符合Higuichi方程( r =0.997)。缓释微球组、空白微球组和生理盐水组术后7天的皮瓣平均面积分别为72.031±1.813、51.034±1.771、50.498±2.359%( P < 0.05) ,平均血管数目分别为34.01±2.30、23.81±3.03、22.56±2.26个/cm2 ( P < 0.05)。结论　所制备的bFGF - PLGA微球表征良好,载药量和包封率高;微球通过较长时间地持续释放活性bFGF,可明显促进兔静脉皮瓣的存活。 关键词:碱性成纤维细胞生长因子;聚乳酸-聚羟基乙酸共聚物;微球;缓释;静脉皮瓣     

成骨生长肽缓释微球促成骨细胞的增殖

背景：采用生物可降解聚合物聚乳酸-羟基乙酸共聚物(Polylactide-co-glycolide，PLGA)为支架材料，包裹多肽、蛋白质药物制成缓释微球，使在体内达到缓释目的，是近10多年来各国学者大力研究的新领域。 目的：观察成骨生长肽（osteogenic growth peptide，OGP）缓释微球对成骨细胞的促分裂增殖作用。 设计、时间及地点：对比观察，于2006-06/11在西安交通大学生命科学院完成。 材料：新西兰兔，用于制备成骨细胞；PLGA由山东医疗器械研究所提供。 方法：以PLGA为载体材料，采用复乳法制备OGP-PLGA缓释微球，并对微球的形态学、粒径分布、载药量和包裹率及体外释药情况进行观察。实验分为2组，OGP组：培养液为含体积分数0.1小牛血清+含50 μg/L OGP的DMEM；OGP缓释微球组：培养液为含体积分数0.1小牛血清+含50 μg/L OGP-PLGA缓释微球的DMEM，分别测定成骨细胞的增殖数量。 主要观察指标：①微球的形态、粒径分布、载药量、包裹率及体外释药性。②OGP缓释微球对成骨细胞增殖的影响。 结果：①复乳法制备的OGP-PLGA缓释微球表面光滑圆整，球体均匀度好；微球粒径为(19.6±4.47) μm，载药量和包裹率分别为（83.9±4.21）%，（72.9±5.13）%；微球的体外释药过程较为稳定，56 d 释药率为85.43%。②培养1，2 d 时，OGP组的A值高于OGP缓释微球组，差异有显著性意义(P < 0.05)；培养3，4 d 时，OGP组和OGP缓释微球组间A值差异无显著性(P > 0.05)；培养6，8 d时，OGP缓释微球组的A值高于OGP组，差异有显著性意义 (P < 0.05)。 结论：采用复乳法制备OGP-PLGA缓释微球的工艺可行，微球中OGP的生物活性保存良好，能缓慢持续释放活性OGP，促进成骨细胞的体外分裂增殖。     

聚乳酸羟基乙酸/纳米羟基磷灰石-5-氟尿嘧啶复合微球的制备及体外释放***◆

背景：由聚乳酸羟基乙酸/纳米羟基磷灰石复合材料制备的微球,在体外磷酸盐缓冲液中能够持续释放药物。 目的：制备聚乳酸羟基乙酸/纳米羟基磷灰石-5-氟尿嘧啶复合微球,探讨纳米羟基磷灰石对复合微球的载药量、包封率和体外释放等性质的影响。 设计、时间及地点：材料学体外观察,于2009-02/2009-07在华南理工大学材料学院实验室完成。 材料：聚乳酸羟基乙酸为济南岱罡生物有限公司产品,纳米羟基磷灰石由华南理工大学特种功能材料教育部重点实验室自制,5-氟尿嘧啶为上海楷洋生物技术有限公司产品。 方法：以水溶性抗癌药物5-氟尿嘧啶作为模型药物,先用纳米羟基磷灰石吸附药物,外包裹生物相容性好且可生物降解的聚乳酸羟基乙酸,采用单乳化溶剂挥发法(S/O/W)制备聚乳酸羟基乙酸/纳米羟基磷灰石-5-氟尿嘧啶复合微球。对载药前后的纳米羟基磷灰石进行透射电子显微镜、扫描电子显微镜观察和FTIR分析。采用扫描电镜、激光粒度仪和紫外分光光度计对微球的理化性质及体外释药性质进行分析。 主要观察指标：纳米羟基磷灰石与5-氟尿嘧啶分子之间的相互作用,微球载药量和包封率,药物体外释放。 结果：FTIR结果表明,纳米羟基磷灰石对5-氟尿嘧啶有较强的吸附作用。聚乳酸羟基乙酸/纳米羟基磷灰石-5-氟尿嘧啶复合微球的载药量和包封率分别为3.83%,86.78%,明显高于单纯的聚乳酸羟基乙酸-5-氟尿嘧啶微球。经过体外释放药物突释后,复合微球比单纯聚乳酸羟基乙酸微球的药物释放慢。在第27天,复合微球和单纯的聚乳酸羟基乙酸微球累积药物释率放分别为84.87%,99.87%。 结论：与单纯的聚乳酸羟基乙酸-5-氟尿嘧啶微球相比,由于纳米羟基磷灰石对5-氟尿嘧啶存在较强的吸附作用,使聚乳酸羟基乙酸/纳米羟基磷灰石-5-氟尿嘧啶复合微球的载药量和包封率得到了较大提高,具有更好的药物缓释效果。 关键词：5-氟尿嘧啶;乳酸-羟基乙酸共聚物;纳米羟基磷灰石;复合微球;药物释放 doi:10.3969/j.issn.1673-8225.2009.47.017     

聚乳酸-羟基乙酸包载眼镜蛇毒细胞毒素缓释微球的表征及体外释放行为

背景：眼镜蛇毒细胞毒素具有强烈的细胞毒活性,但缺乏特异性,全身用药可导致严重毒副作用,而采用缓释载体包载进行间质化疗可达到提高肿瘤局部治疗效应,并且减轻全身毒性。 目的：制备眼镜蛇毒细胞毒素-聚乳酸-羟基乙酸微球,观察其一般性质和体外释药特性。 设计、时间及地点：观察性实验,于2007-12/2008-05在福建医科大学医药生物工程中心完成。 材料：聚乳酸-羟基乙酸、聚乙烯醇由中国科学院成都有机化学有限公司提供,广东产中华眼镜蛇毒。 方法：采用分子筛、离子交换分离,反相疏水高效液相色谱方法纯化细胞毒素,MTT法检测细胞毒活性,复乳-溶剂挥发法制备载药微球。 主要观察指标：扫描电镜观察载药微球的表面形态,激光粒径仪测微球粒径,计算包封率、载药量、体外释放周期。 结果：纯化的眼镜蛇细胞毒素具有明显的细胞毒作用,对HepG2细胞12,24 h的IC50分别为1.43,1.12 mg/L。复乳法制备微球表面光滑圆整,粒径2~8 μm,包封率和载药率分别为(74.10±9.92)%和(0.72±0.09)%,21 d药物累积释放63.3％,释放细胞毒素保持较好的生物学活性。 结论：采用复乳-溶剂挥发法可制备具有较高包封率、良好缓释效果、保持完整生物学活性的眼镜蛇毒细胞毒素-聚乳酸-羟基乙酸微球。     

载多烯紫杉醇聚乳酸-羟基乙酸微球的制备、表征及其药物稳定性*

摘要 背景：目前临床使用的多烯紫杉醇注射液多采用吐温80作为增溶剂,容易导致过敏反应,且全身化疗不良反应大。采用聚乳酸-羟基乙酸包载多烯紫杉醇制备的缓释微球进行肿瘤间质化疗可提高肿瘤局部药物浓度,减轻全身不良反应。 目的：制备一种用于肿瘤间质化疗的载多烯紫杉醇聚乳酸-羟基乙酸缓释微球,并考察其理化性质、体外释放及药物稳定性。 方法：采用溶剂挥发法制备不同投料比载药微球,扫描电镜观察微球的表面形态、粒径,高效液相色谱法检测包封率、载药率及体外药物释放情况。将制备的微球于5,15,25 kGy 60Co 3种剂量辐照灭菌,体外细菌培养观察灭菌效果。 结果与结论：制备的载药微球呈圆球形,表面光滑,分散良好,平均粒径为23.1 µm。聚乳酸-羟基乙酸与多烯紫杉醇的投料比为100 mg/5 mg时可获得最佳的包封率(96.3%)和载药率(4.82%);载药微球体外4周平稳释放药物达81.6%,无明显突释效应,包裹在微球内的多烯紫杉醇结构稳定性明显提高;3种剂量60Co辐照后均未见短小芽孢杆菌生长。说明采用溶剂挥发法可制备粒径及分布适宜、释放周期较理想、药物稳定性好的载多烯紫杉醇聚乳酸-羟基乙酸缓释微球。 关键词：多烯紫杉醇;聚乳酸-羟基乙酸;微球;缓释;生物材料与药物控释 doi:10.3969/j.issn.1673-8225.2010.21.013     

纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖-明胶复合微球的制备及性能

背景：羟基磷灰石与高分子复合材料作为组织工程材料的报道很多,但多为粉体材料或块状材料,用于修复治疗时均存在一定的局限性。 目的：制备纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖-明胶复合缓释微球,观察其体外释药特性。 设计、时间及地点：重复测量设计,于2008-01/10 在北京工业大学材料科学与工程学院生物功能高分子实验室完成。 材料：纳米羟基磷灰石、壳聚糖、明胶、庆大霉素。 方法：利用微波辅助法,在pH=7的条件下,制备了针状羟基磷灰石。采用W/O型复乳化-交联技术制备纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖-明胶载药复合微球。 主要观察指标：①纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖-明胶复合微球的表面形貌、粒径分布。②载药复合微球的载药量、包封率及药物累积释放率。 结果：①纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖-明胶载药复合微球形态均匀,其粒径主要集中在10~30μm,壳聚糖-明胶对羟基磷灰石形成了很好的包覆。②复合微球平均载药量32.97%,平均包封率49.20%,在3 d内对庆大霉素的释放达到88%左右。 结论：所制备的纳米羟基磷灰石/壳聚糖-明胶载药复合微球形态均匀,粒径分布窄,再分散性好,3 d内能维持有效的药物浓度。     

Characteristics of the sympathetic innervation of the nictitating membrane and of the vasculature of the nose and tongue of the cat

Summary Vasomotor responses from the nasal mucosa and tongue, and contractions of the nictitating membrane, were recorded on stimulation of the cervical sympathetic or internal carotid nerves.Preganglionic sympathetic nerve fibres which elicited a membrane response possessed a lower threshold than those which evoked nasal vasoconstriction, while the latter displayed a lower threshold than fibres which evoked tongue vasoconstriction. The sympathetic vasodilator fibres to the tongue, whose activity was revealed after-receptor blockade, had a similar threshold to the vasoconstrictor fibres.Membrane contraction, nasal vasoconstriction and occasionally tongue vasoconstriction could be evoked by stimulating the internal carotid nerve. The postganglionic fibres innervating the nasal mucosa had a similar threshold to those of the nictitating membrane, which may indicate that there are small myelinated fibres innervating the mucosa.The preganglionic compound nerve action potential had four major components, S₁–S₄. S₁, S₂ and usually S₃ fibres were associated with membrane contraction; S₂, S₃ and sometimes S₁ fibres were associated with nasal vasoconstriction; and S₃, usually S₂ and occasionally S₁ fibres were associated with vasoconstriction in the tongue. It is concluded that each of these three groups of nerve fibres, but not S₄ fibres, may include fibres associated functionally with the three effectors.There was a considerable difference between the relative amplitude of the responses of the three effectors elicited by stimulation of the cervical sympathetic nerve at frequencies between 0.2 and 2 Hz. Vasoconstrictor responses were relatively larger than membrane contractions suggesting differences in the mechanisms of neurotransmission at the neuroeffector junctions.     

Development of the projection from the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus to the superior colliculus in the ferret

Neurons in the deeper layers of the superior colliculus (SC) have spatially tuned receptive fields that are arranged to form a map of auditory space. The spatial tuning of these neurons emerges gradually in an experience-dependent manner after the onset of hearing, but the relative contributions of peripheral and central factors in this process of maturation are unknown. We have studied the postnatal development of the projection to the ferret SC from the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus (nBIC), its main source of auditory input, to determine whether the emergence of auditory map topography can be attributed to anatomical rewiring of this projection. The pattern of retrograde labeling produced by injections of fluorescent microspheres in the SC on postnatal day (P) 0 and just after the age of hearing onset (P29), showed that the nBIC-SC projection is topographically organized in the rostrocaudal axis, along which sound azimuth is represented, from birth. Injections of biotinylated dextran amine-fluorescein into the nBIC at different ages (P30, 60, and 90) labeled axons with numerous terminals and en passant boutons throughout the deeper layers of the SC. This labeling covered the entire mediolateral extent of the SC, but, in keeping with the pattern of retrograde labeling following microsphere injections in the SC, was more restricted rostrocaudally. No systematic changes were observed with age. The stability of the nBIC-SC projection over this period suggests that developmental changes in auditory spatial tuning involve other processes, rather than a gross refinement of the projection from the nBIC.     

Mechanisms of the suppression of the nociceptive reflex of the opening of the mouth during stimulation of the structures of the limbic brain

The comparative effectiveness of the inhibitory influence of tetanic stimulation of hypothalamus, amygdala and limbic cortex on EMG-response of m. digastricus evoked by electrical stimulation of tooth pulp nociceptive afferents was studied in cats anesthetized with a mixture of chloralose and nembutal. It was found that inhibition of the EMG-component of the jaw-opening reflex is most pronounced in case of stimulation of medial and lateral region of the hypothalamus, the inhibitory effect of central and medial nuclei of the amygdala is less pronounced and the effect of the limbic cortex is the weakest. It was shown that the mechanism of the antinociceptive effect of tetanic stimulation of the hypothalamus is not related to the concomitant increase of the blood pressure. After stabilization of the blood pressure the suppressive effect of the hypothalamus remains without changes, that points out to a direct, primary, not baro-afferent mechanism of the inhibition of the activity of nociceptive neurons of the trigeminal sensory nuclei. Noradrenaline, injected intravenously, induced a large increase of the blood pressure accompanied by a pronounced inhibition of the pain reflex. Angiotensin causes the same degree of blood pressure elevation without changes in the amplitude of the EMG-response of the pain reflex. Hypothalamic and noradrenergic mechanisms for control of pain sensitivity are discussed.     

Origins of the sympathetic innervation of the cervical end of the uterus in the rat

A retrograde neuronal tracer (Fast Blue) was injected in the cervical end of the uterine horn of virgin rats. The majority of the retrogradely labeled post-ganglionic sympathetic neurons were found in the sympathetic chain (74%). The superior mesenteric ganglia, inferior mesenteric ganglia and suprarenal ganglia accounted for 22, 3 and <1%, respectively. The distribution of neurons in the sympathetic chain labeled from the uterus resembles that described for other pelvic organs.     

Sexual pheromones and the evolution of the reward system of the brain: the chemosensory function of the amygdala

The amygdala of all tetrapod vertebrates receives direct projections from the main and accessory olfactory bulbs, and the strong similarities in the organization of these projections suggest that they have undergone a very conservative evolution. However, current ideas about the function of the amygdala do not pay sufficient attention to its chemosensory role, but only view it as the core of the emotional brain. In this study, we propose that both roles of the amygdala are intimately linked since the amygdala is actually involved in mediating emotional responses to chemical signals. The amygdala is the only structure in the brain receiving pheromonal information directly from the accessory olfactory bulbs and we have shown in mice that males emit sexual pheromones that are innately attractive for females. In fact, sexual pheromones can be used as unconditioned stimuli to induce a conditioned attraction to previously neutral odorants as well as a conditioned place preference. Therefore, sexual pheromones should be regarded as natural reinforcers. Behavioural and pharmacological studies (reviewed here) have shown that the females' innate preference for sexual pheromones is not affected by lesions of the dopaminergic cells of the ventral tegmental area, and that the systemic administration of dopamine antagonists do not alter neither the attraction nor the reinforcing effects of these pheromones. Anatomical studies have shown that the vomeronasal amygdala gives rise to important projections to the olfactory tubercle and the islands of Calleja, suggesting that these amygdalo-striatal pathways might be involved in the reinforcing value of sexual pheromones.     

Topographical organization of the motoneuron pools that innervate the muscles of the pinna of the cat

The topographical organization of the 22 motoneuron pools that innervate the pinna muscles of the cat was examined by injecting the B-subunit of cholera toxin conjugated to horseradish peroxidase into individual muscles. All 22 pools are found in the facial nucleus, organized as rostro-caudally oriented columns, and arranged according to the action of the muscles they innervate. Pools innervating muscles that pull the pinna dorsally are located in the dorsal two thirds of the medio-dorsal subdivision, and those innervating muscles that pull the pinna ventrally are located in the ventral one half of the nucleus. Motoneurons innervating muscles that pull the pinna cranially are located laterally, those that pull the pinna caudally are located medio-ventrally, and those that change the shape of the pinna are located along the entire dorso-ventral extent in the center of the medio-dorsal subdivision. This topographical layout is consistent with the somatotopic organization of the entire facial nucleus as demonstrated in a variety of species. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

药物治疗与合并认知行为治疗对强迫症疗效的比较

目的探讨认知行为心理治疗(CBT)在强迫症(OCD)患者各亚型治疗中的有效性和规律性。方法本研究为临床对照研究。符合入组标准的强迫症患者按患者自愿原则分为两组,治疗观察3、6、12个月。疗效评定分别运用Yale-Brown强迫量表,自拟的自评好转程度量表和临床疗效评定。结果认知行为心理治疗合并药物治疗组31例,临床有效率70.9%,其中治愈率1.8%。单纯药物治疗组24例,临床有效率33.3%。Yale-Brown强迫量表和自评量表得分在6个月和12个月两组有显著差异(P<0.05)。其中强迫症亚型(怕脏型、反复检查型和反复担心型)的疗效比较,怕脏型在治疗3个月末两组间自评量表评分有显著性差异(P<0.05);反复担心型在治疗6个月末两组间Yale-Brown强迫量表总分有显著性差异(P<0.05);反复检查型两组间无统计学差异。结论认知行为心理治疗合并药物治疗强迫症的疗效明显优于单纯药物治疗。强迫症的亚型在治疗中的有效性次序为:反复担心型>怕脏型>反复检查型。     

Histochemical methods for the further characterisation of the tumourettes of the posterior lobe of the pituitary

Summary The granular cell tumourettes of the posterior lobe of the pituitary possess neuraminic acid containing carbohydrate. After removal of neuraminic acid with neuraminidase and exposure to FITC (Fluorescein isothiocyanate) labelled peanut agglutinin (Arachis hypogaea) (PNA), intracellular receptor structures could be demonstrated. The significance of the findings is discussed.