Proopiomelanocortin (POMC)–β‐Endorphin System in the Rat Colon: Expression, Up Regulation by Stress, and Correlation With Stress‐Induced Visceral Analgesia
ABSTRACT Background The pituitary proopiomelanocortin (POMC)–β‐endorphin (β‐END) system is activated by hypothalamic corticotropin‐releasing factor (CRF) signaling and stress. We investigated whether this pathway is also expressed in the rat colon, regulated by peripheral CRF and stress, and correlated with stress‐indu...