ON A POSSIBLE ROLE OFβ-MELANOCYTE STIMULATING HORMONE (p-MSH) IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM OF THE MAMMALIA:ENZYMATIC INACTIVATION IN VITRO OFβ-MSH BY BRAIN TISSUE1

Abstract
Incubation of β-MSH with extracts of brain leads to disappearance of the melanophoretic activity. This effect occurs as a logarithmic function of incubation time, is temperature and pH dependant and seems therefore to be due to an enzymatic inactivation. This effect was not observed in incubating β-MSH with extracts of liver or muscle similarly prepared.