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CRF-containing neurons of the rat hypothalamus

Cell and Tissue Research volume 240, pages 575–584 (1985)Cite this article

Summary

The immunoreactive CRF-neurons of the rat hypothalamus have been examined immunohistochemically employing anti-rat CRF serum. These neurons are confined to the paraventricular nucleus, dorsomedial-lateral hypothalamic area, and suprachiasmatic nucleus, and are, respectively, also immunoreactive to anti-Met-enk, -alpha-MSH, and -VIP sera. Intraventricular administration of colchicine (50 μg/5 μl/rat) induces a dramatic enhancement of the immunostainability of the cell somata, and also accelerates the development of immunoreactivity of other stored peptides, especially in the paraventricular nucleus.

The CRF-neurons respond to adrenalectomy by showing increased immunoreactivity and an increase in the number of cell bodies; in the dorsomedial-lateral area and suprachiasmatic nucleus, there is also an enhanced immunoreactivity for alpha-MSH and VIP, respectively. CRF-cells in the paraventricular nucleus become markedly hypertrophied, but do not show any enhanced immunoreactivity for Met-enk. Since the axons of the paraventricular neurons run to the median eminence, it is probable that they are involved with the endocrine control of hypophysial ACTH release. It is concluded that the CRF-containing neurons in rat hypothalamus consist of three types which are functionally and morphologically different.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, The University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan

    Shigeo Daikoku, Yoshihito Okamura, Hitoshi Kawano, Yoshihiro Tsuruo & Masahiko Maegawa

  2. Second Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical College, Tokyo, Japan

    Tamotsu Shibasaki

Authors
  1. Shigeo Daikoku
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  2. Yoshihito Okamura
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  3. Hitoshi Kawano
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  4. Yoshihiro Tsuruo
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  5. Masahiko Maegawa
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  6. Tamotsu Shibasaki
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Daikoku, S., Okamura, Y., Kawano, H. et al. CRF-containing neurons of the rat hypothalamus. Cell Tissue Res. 240, 575–584 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00216347

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00216347

Key words

  • CRF neurons
  • Neurosecretory neurons
  • Hypothalamus
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Colchicine
  • Rat