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Monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity has been demonstrated histochemically in rat hypothalamic ependyma using the sulphate-tetrazolium and coupled peroxidatic techniques with tryptamine, tyramine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and benzylamine as substrates. Both methods were applied to cryostat sections with and without exposure to selective amine oxidase inhibitors, including the selective A-MAO inhibitor clorgyline, and the B-MAO inhibitor deprenyl. Our results show that both cuboidal-columnar and tanycyte ependyma contain one or more forms of MAO not generally present in the hypothalamus. It is suggested that ependymal MAO may form an amine-barrier system modulating the movement and effect within the hypothalamus of specific cerebrospinal fluid or blood monoamines.
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Williams, D., Gascoigne, J.E., Street, M. et al. Histochemical characterization of monoamine oxidase in ependyma of rat hypothalamus. Histochem J 11, 83–95 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01041267
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01041267