Nature 214, 190 (08 April 1967); doi:10.1038/214190a0

Activity of Phenethanolamine N-Methyl Transferase in the Adrenal Glands of Foetal and Neonatal Rats

RAY W. FULLER & JOSEPH M. HUNT

Division of Biology and Pharmacology, The Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Co., Indianapolis 6, Indiana.

THE proportions of adrenaline and noradrenaline in the adrenal glands differ from one species to another and within a species during development. Comline and Silver¹ have compiled a list of reports showing the percentage of noradrenaline in the adrenal gland catecholamines of foetal, newly born and adult animals of seven species. In general, a higher proportion of noradrenaline is associated with the foetal state and a higher proportion of adrenaline with the adult animal, which suggests that the ability of the adrenal glands to form adrenaline develops late in the foetal life or in the early life of the animal.

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