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Ependymal Secretion, especially in the Hypothalamic Region

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Neurohormones and Neurohumors

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Summary

Certain circumscribed areas of ependyma, lining the ventricles of the brain, appear to be specialized in structure and activity. In contrast to “normal” or “classical” ependymal cells, which are ciliated and apparently engaged in some synthesis, secretion and adsorption, though not very actively, specialised ependymal cells have morphological characteristics generally associated with considerable secretory and/or absorptive function.

One area of specialized ependyma in the ventro-lateral walls of the III. ventricle lies near the so-called hypophysiotropic area, believed to be concerned in regulation of pituitary function; it is therefore of special interest to endocrinologists. Recently, correlations between the structure of these ependymal cells lining the infundibular recess and pituitary functions related to colour-change and reproductive cycles have been described, and are here considered in relation to hypothalamic control of the pituitary.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, The Medical School, Birmingham 15, England

    Sir Francis Knowles

  2. Department of Anatomy, King’s College, Strand, London, W. C. 2, England

    Sir Francis Knowles

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  1. Sir Francis Knowles
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Netherlands Central Institute for Brain Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    J. Ariëns Kappers

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© 1969 Springer-Verlag Wien

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Knowles, F. (1969). Ependymal Secretion, especially in the Hypothalamic Region. In: Kappers, J.A. (eds) Neurohormones and Neurohumors. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-25519-3_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-25519-3_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-23465-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-25519-3

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