Summary
The distribution of catecholamine synthesizing enzymes within the paraventricular nucleus of the rat hypothalamus is elucidated immunocytochemically by use of antibodies to tyrosine hydroxylase, dopamine β-hydroxylase, and phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase. Tyrosine hydroxylase-immunostained cell bodies are localized in the periventricular stratum and adjacent parvocellular regions, but rarely in magnocellular subnuclei of the paraventricular nucleus. Tyrosine hydroxylase-immunostained fibers are present in greatest density in the periventricular zone, and moderate density in the parvocellular and magnocellular subnuclei. Dopamine β-hydroxylase-immunostained fibers are remarkably dense in the posterior magnocellular division of the paraventricular nucleus, especially in the dorso-lateral portion where vasopressin-containing cells predominate. Noradrenergic fiber input to these magnocellular neurons is likely since phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase-immunostained fibers are sparse in magnocellular subnuclei of the paraventricular nucleus. Dual immunocytochemical staining of thick and thin tissue sections demonstrates with clarity an anatomical association of dopamine β-hydroxylase-immunostained fibers and magnocellular neurons. Dopamine β-hydroxylase-immunostained and phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase-immunostained fibers are dense in the medial parvocellular component of the paraventricular nucleus; distinct features of both antisera are presented.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agnati LF, Fuxe K, Yu Z-Y, Härfstrand A, Okret S, Wikström A-C, Goldstein M, Zoli M, Vale W, Gustafsson J-Å (1985) Morphometrical analysis of the distribution of corticotrophin releasing factor, glucocorticoid receptor and phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase immunoreactive structures in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus of the rat. Neurosci Lett 54:147–152
Antunes JL, Carmel PW, Zimmerman EA (1977) Projections from the paraventricular nucleus to the zona externa of the median eminence of the rhesus monkey: an immunohistochemical study. Brain Res 137:1–16
Armstrong WE, Warach S, Hatton GI, McNeil TH (1980) Subnuclei in the rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. A cytoarchitectural, horseradish peroxidase and immunocytochemical analysis. Neuroscience 5:1931–1958
Armstrong WE, Gallagher MJ, Sladek CD (1986) Noradrenergic stimulation of supraoptic neuronal activity and vasopressin release in vitro mediation by an α 1-receptor. Brain Res 365:192–197
Brooks DP, Share L, Crofton JT (1986) Central adrenergic control of vasopressin release. Neuroendocrinology 42:416–420
Carlsson A, Falck B, Hillarp N-Å (1962) Cellular localization of brain monoamines. Acta Physiol Scand (Suppl. 196) 56:1–17
Clark A, Downs EC, Primus FJ (1982) An unlabeled antibody method using glucose oxidase-antiglucose oxidase complexes (GAG): A sensitive alternative to immunoperoxidase for detection of tissue antigens. J Histochem Cytochem 30:27–34
Conrad LCA, Pfaff DW (1976) Efferents from medial basal forebrain and hypothalamus of the rat. II. An autoradiographic study of the anterior hypothalamus. J Comp Neurol 169:221–261
Feldman S, Conforti N, Melamed E (1986) Norepinephrine depletion in the paraventricular nucleus inhibits the adrenocortical responses to neural stimuli. Neurosci Lett 64:191–195
Fuxe K (1965) Evidence for the existence of monoamine neurons in the central nervous systen. IV. The distribution of monoamine nerve terminals in the central nervous system. Acta Physiol Scand (Suppl. 64) 247:37–85
Joh TH, Ross ME (1983) Preparation of catecholamine-synthesizing enyzmes as immunogens for immunohistochemistry. In: Cuello (ed) IBRO Handbook Series: Methods in the Neurosciences Wiley-Interscience, Chichester pp 121–138
Lechan RM, Jackson IMD (1982) Immunohistochemical localization of thyrotropin-releasing hormone in the rat hypothalamus and pituitary. Endocrinology 111:55–65
Liposits ZS, Phelix C, Paull WK (1986) Adrenergic innervation of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF)-synthesizing neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of the rat. Histochemistry 84:201–205
McNeill TH, Sladek JR Jr (1980) Simultaneous monoamine histofluorescence and neuropeptide immunocytochemistry. II. Correlative distribution of catecholamine varicosities and magnocellular neurosecretory neurons in the rat supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei. J Comp Neurol 193:1023–1033
Nakada H, Nakai Y (1985) Electron microscopic examination of the catecholaminergic innervation of neurophysin-or vasopressin-containing neurons in the rat hypothalamus. Brain Res 361:247–257
Piekut DT, Joseph SA (1985) Relationship of CRF-immunostained cells and magnocellular neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of rat hypothalamus. Peptides 6:873–882
Randle JCR, Mazurek M, Kneifel D, Dufresne J, Renaud LP (1986) α 1-adrenergic receptor activation releases vasopressin and oxytocin from perfused rat hypothalamic explants. Neurosci Lett 65:219–223
Sar M, Stumpf WE, Miller RJ, Chang K-J, Cuatrecasas P (1978) Immunohistochemical localization of enkephalin in rat brain and spinal cord. J Comp Neurol 182:17–38
Sawchenko PE, Swanson LW (1982) Immunohistochemical identification of neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus that project to the medulla or to the spinal cord in the rat. J Comp Neurol 205:260–272
Sherlock DA, Field PM, Raisman G (1975) Retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase in the magnocellular neurosecretory system of the rat. Brain Res 88:403–414
Silverman AJ, Oldfield BJ (1984) Synaptic input to vasopressin neurons of the paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Peptides (Suppl. 1) 5:139–150
Silverman AJ, Hou-Yu A, Oldfield BJ (1983) Ultrastructural identification of noradrenergic nerve terminals and vasopressin-containing neurons of the paraventricular nucleus in the same thin section. J Histochem Cytochem. 31:1151–1156
Silverman AJ, Oldfield B, Hou-Yu A, Zimmerman EA (1985) The noradrenergic innervation of vasopressin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus: An ultrastructural study using radioautography and immunocytochemistry. Brain Res 325:215–229
Swanson LW, Kuypers HGJM (1980) The paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus: Cytoarchitectonic subdivisions and organization of projections to the pituitary, dorsal vagal complex, and spinal cord as demonstrated by retrograde fluorescence double-labeling methods. J Comp Neurol 194:555–570
Swanson LW, Sawchenko PE (1980) Paraventricular nucleus: A site for the integration of neuroendocrine and autonomic mechanisms. Neuroendocrinology 31:410–417
Swanson LW, Sawchenko PE, Wiegand SJ, Price JL (1980) Separate neurons in the paraventricular nucleus project to the median eminence and to the medulla or spinal cord. Brain Res 198:190–195
Swanson LW, Sawchenko PE, Berod A, Hartman BK, Heile KB, VanOrden DE (1981) An immunohistochemical study of the organization of catecholaminergic cells and terminal fields in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus. J Comp Neurol 196:271–285
Swaab DF, Nijveldt F, Pool CW (1975) Distribution of oxytocin and vasopressin in the rat supraoptic and paraventricular nucleus. J Endocrinol 67:461–462
Tilders FJH, Berkenbosch F, Vermes I, Linton EA, Smelik PG (1985) Role of epinephrine and vasopressin in the control of the pituitary-adrenal response to stress. Fed Proc 44:155–160
Vandesande R, Dierickx K, DeMey J (1977) The origin of the vasopressinergic and oxytocinergic fibres of the external region of the median eminence of the rat hypophysis. Cell Tissue Res 180:443–452
Wiegand SJ, Price JL (1980) Cells of origin of the afferent fibers to the median eminence in the rat. J Comp Neurol 192:1–19
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hornby, P.J., Piekut, D.T. Catecholamine distribution and relationship to magnocellular neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the rat. Cell Tissue Res. 248, 239–246 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00218190
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00218190