Problem: A scientist studying pain processing in a mouse model administers a drug that inhibits proteolytic processing of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) in the pituitary. An increased response to painful stimuli is noted in the treatment animals compared to controls. The effect of the drug is due to a lack of effective levels of
- B- endorphin
- ACTH
- growth hormone
- A-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (a-MSH)