Description
Neurohypophysial peptides are important regulators of homeostasis, reproduction and behavior. We have sequenced a zebrafish cDNA representing isotocin-neurophysin (IT-NP) mRNA. The developmental expression pattern of zebrafish IT-NP mRNA was determined by whole-mount in situ hybridization histochemistry. At 32 h post fertilization (hpf) no IT-NP mRNA is detected. However, by 36 hpf, staining for IT-NP mRNA is detected in a tight bilateral cluster of cells located in the anterior hypothalamus. The IT-NP mRNA expression pattern remains remarkably stable throughout further development at least until 120 hpf.