Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Efferent projections from the lateral septal nucleus to the anterior hypothalamus in the rat: A study combining Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin tracing with vasopressin immunocytochemistry

  • Published:
Cell and Tissue Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The tracer Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) was injected into the lateral septum of the rat at different rostrocaudal locations to study the efferent septal projections to the anterior hypothalamus. For spatial correlation of these septofugal elements with the vasopressinergic system a dual immunocytochemical technique was used (i) to demonstrate nerve fibers and their corresponding bouton-like structures labeled with the tracer, and (ii) to identify vasopressin in the same section. The hypothalamic paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei, the accessory hypothalamic magnocellular system, and the suprachiasmatic nucleus are recipients of PHA-L-labeled fibers from all parts of the lateral septum. Close appositions between (i) these axons and their varicosities, and (ii) vasopressin-immunoreactive perikarya and their processes, putatively indicating functional interrelationships, were observed in all these nuclear areas, especially in their neuropil formations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

F :

fornix

OC :

optic chiasm

OT :

optic tract

PVN :

paraventricular nucleus

SCN :

suprachiasmatic nucleus

SON :

supraoptic nucleus

III :

third ventricle

References

  • Bargmann W, Scharrer E (1951) The site of origin of the hormones of the posterior pituitary. Am Sci 39:255–259

    Google Scholar 

  • Buijs RM (1978) Intra- and extrahypothalamic vasopressin and oxytocin pathways in the rat. Cell Tissue Res 192:423–433

    Google Scholar 

  • Buijs RM, Swaab DF, Dogterom J, van Leeuwen FW (1978) Intra- and extrahypothalamic vasopressin and oxytocin pathways in the rat. Cell Tissue Res 186:423–433

    Google Scholar 

  • Cirino M, Renaud LP (1985) Influence of lateral septum and amygdala stimulation on the excitability of the hypothalamic supraoptic neurons. An electrophysiological study in the rat. Brain Res 326:357–361

    Google Scholar 

  • Diepen R (1962) Der Hypothalamus. In: Bargmann W (ed) Handbuch der mikroskopischen Anatomie des Menschen, Bd IV7. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Garris DR (1979) Direct septo-hypothalamic projections in the rat. Neurosci Lett 13:83–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerfen CR, Sawchenko PE (1984) An anterograde neuroanatomical tracing method that shows the detailed morphology of neurons, their axons and terminals: immunohistochemical localization of an axonally transported plant lectin, Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin. Brain Res 290:219–238

    Google Scholar 

  • Houser CR, Crawford GD, Barber RP, Salvaterra PM, Vaughn JE (1983) Organization and morphological characteristics of cholinergic neurons: an immunocytochemical study with a monoclonal antibody to choline acetyltransferase. Brain Res 266:97–119

    Google Scholar 

  • Jhamandas JH, Renaud RP (1987) Neurophysiology of a central baroreceptor pathway projecting to hypothalamic vasopressin neurons. Can J Neurol Sci 14:17–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Jhamandas JH, Raby W, Rogers J, Buijs RM, Renaud RP (1989) Diagonal band projection towards the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus: light and electron microscopic observations in the rat. J Comp Neurol 282:15–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly J, Swanson LW (1980) Additional forebrain regions projecting to the posterior pituitary: preoptic region, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and zona incerta. Brain Res 197:1–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Kimura H, McGeer PL, Peng JH, McGeer EG (1981) The central cholinergic system studied by choline acetyltransferase immunohistochemistry in the cat. J Comp Neurol 200:151–201

    Google Scholar 

  • Mason WT, Ho YW, Eckenstein F, Hatton GI (1983) Mapping of cholinergic neurons associated with rat supraoptic nucleus: combined immunocytochemical and histochemical identification. Brain Res Bull 11:617–626

    Google Scholar 

  • Meibach RC, Siegel A (1977) Efferent connections of the septal area in the rat: an analysis utilizing retrograde and anterograde transport methods. Brain Res 119:1–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Oksche A (1976) The neuroanatomical basis of comparative neuroendocrinology. Gen Comp Endocrinol 29:225–239

    Google Scholar 

  • Oksche A (1977) The neurosecretory cell in the organization of the central nervous system: phylogenetic aspects. In: Vincent JD, Cordon C (eds) Cell biology of hypothalamic neurosecretion. CNRS, Paris, pp 27–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Oksche A (1985) Comparative aspects of hypothalamic neurosecretion: neuroanatomical patterns. In: Lofts B, Holmes WN (eds) Current trends in comparative endocrinology. Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong, pp 29–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Oldfield BJ, Silverman A-J (1989) A light microscopic HRP study of limbic projections to the vasopressin-containing nuclear groups of the hypothalamus. Brain Res Bull 130:121–134

    Google Scholar 

  • Oldfield BJ, Hou-Yu A, Silverman A-J (1985) A combined electron microscopic HRP and immunocytochemical study of the limbic projections to rat hypothalamic nuclei containing vasopressin and oxytocin neurons. J Comp Neurol 231:221–231

    Google Scholar 

  • Onteniente B, Tago H, Kimura H, Maeda T (1986) Distribution of gamma-aminobutyric acid-immunoreactive neurons in the septal region of the rat brain. J Comp Neurol 248:422–430

    Google Scholar 

  • Oorijtham EG, Godfrey DA, Ross CD, Dunn JD (1989) Effect of septal ablation on choline acetyltransferase in the paraventricular nucleus. Brain Res Bull 22:277–282

    Google Scholar 

  • Panula P, Revuelta AV, Cheney DL, Wu J-Y, Costa E (1984) An immunohistochemical study on the location of GABAergic neurons in the rat septum. J Comp Neurol 222:69–80

    Google Scholar 

  • Paxinos G, Watson C (1986) The rat brain in stereotaxic coordinates (2nd edn). Academic Press, Sydney

    Google Scholar 

  • Pitman QJ, Blume HW, Renaud LP (1981) Connections of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus with the neurohypophysis, median eminence, amygdala, lateral septum and midbrain periaqueductal grey: an electrophysiological study in the rat. Brain Res 215:15–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Poulain DA, Ellendorf F, Vincent JD (1980) Spetal connections with identified oxytocin and vasopressin neurones in the supraoptic nucleus of the rat. An electrophysiological investigation. Neuroscience 5:379–387

    Google Scholar 

  • Poulain DA, Lebrun CJ, Vincent JD (1981) Electrophysiological evidence for connections between septal neurons and the supraoptic nucleus of the rat. Exp Brain Res 42:260–268

    Google Scholar 

  • Raisman G (1966) The connexions of the septum. Brain 89:317–348

    Google Scholar 

  • Rhoades CH, Morrell JI, Pfaff DW (1981) Immunohistochemical analysis of magnocellular elements in rat hypothalamus: distribution and numbers of cells containing neurophysin, oxytocin, and vasopressin. J Comp Neurol 198:45–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Sawchenko PE, Swanson LW (1983a) The organization and biochemical specificity of afferent projections to the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei. In: Cross BA, Leng G (eds) The neurohypophysis: structure, function and control. Prog Brain Res Vol 60, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 19–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Sawchenko PE, Swanson LW (1983b) The organization of forebrain afferents to the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the rat. J Comp Neurol 218:121–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Scharrer E (1928) Die Lichtempfindlichkeit blinder Elritzen. Z Vergl Physiol 7:1–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Silverman AJ, Zimmerman EA (1985) Magnocellular neurosecretory system. Ann Rev Neurosci 6:357–380

    Google Scholar 

  • Silverman AJ, Hoffman DL, Zimmermann EA (1981) The descending afferent connections of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN). Brain Res Bull 6:47–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Sladek CD, Armstrong WE (1987) Effects of neurotransmitters and neuropeptides on vasopressin relase. In: Gash DM, Boer GJ (eds) Vasopressin: principles and properties. Plenum Press, New York, pp 287–333

    Google Scholar 

  • Sofroniew MV (1983) Morphology of vasopressin and oxytocin neurones and their central and vascular projections. In: Cross BA, Leng G (eds) The neurohypophysis: structure, function and control. Prog Brain Res, vol 60. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 101–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Sofroniew MV (1985) Vasopressin, oxytocin and their related neurophysins. In: Björklund A, Hökfelt T (eds) Handbook of Chemical Neuroanatomy, vol 4; GABA and Neuropeptides in the CNS, Part 1. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 93–165

    Google Scholar 

  • Sofroniew MV, Glassmann W (1981) Golgi-like immunoperoxidase staining of hypothalamic magnocellular neurons that contain vasopressin, oxytocin or neurophysin in the rat. Neuroscience 6:619–643

    Google Scholar 

  • Swaab DF, Pool CW (1975) Specificity of oxytocin and vasopressin immunofluorescence. J Endocrinol 66:261–272

    Google Scholar 

  • Swanson LW, Cowan WM (1979) The connections of the spetal region in the rat. J Comp Neurol 186:621–656

    Google Scholar 

  • Swanson LW, Sawchenko PE (1985) Hypothalamic integration: organization of the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei. Ann Rev Neurosci 6:269–324

    Google Scholar 

  • Tribollet E, Dreifuss JJ (1981) Localization of neurones projecting to the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus area of the rat: A horseradish peroxidase study. Neuroscience 6:1315–1328

    Google Scholar 

  • Tribollet E, Armstrong WE, Dubois-Dauphin M, Dreifuss JJ (1985) Extra-hypothalamic afferent inputs to the supraoptic nucleus area of the rat as determined by retrograde and anterograde tracing techniques. Neuroscience 15:135–148

    Google Scholar 

  • van den Pol A (1982) The magnocellular and parvocellular paraventricular nucleus of rat: intrinsic organization. J Comp Neurol 206:317–345

    Google Scholar 

  • Vandesande F, Dierickx K (1975) Identification of the vasopressin producing and of the oxytocin producing neurons in the hypothalamic magnocellular neurosecretory system of the rat. Cell Tissue Res 164:153–162

    Google Scholar 

  • Vincent JD, Hayward JN (1970) Activity of single cells in the osmoreceptor-supraoptic nuclear complex in the hypothalamus of the waking rhesus monkey. Brain Res 23:105–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Wouterlood FG (1988) Anterograde tracing with Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin combined with immunocytochemistry of gamma-aminobutyric acid, choline acetyltransferase or serotonin. Histochemistry 89:421–428

    Google Scholar 

  • Wouterlood FG, Groenewegen HJ (1985) Neuroanatomical tracing by use of Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin (PHA-L): electron microscopy of PHA-L-filled neuronal somata, dendrites, axons and axon terminals. Brain Res 326:188–191

    Google Scholar 

  • Wouterlood FG, Bol JGJM, Steinbusch HWM (1987) Double-label-immunocytochemistry: combination of anterograde neuroanatomical tracing with Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin and enzyme immunocytochemistry of target neurons. J Histochem Cytochem 35:817–824

    Google Scholar 

  • Wouterlood FG, Gaykema RPA, Steinbusch HWM, Watanabe T, Wada H (1988) The connections between the spetum-diagonal band complex and histaminergic neurons in the posterior hypothalamus of the rat. Anterograde tracing with Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin combined with immunocytochemistry of histidine decarboxylase. Neuroscience 26:827–845

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamano M, Luiten PGM (1989) Direct synaptic contacts of medial septal efferents with somatostatin immunoreactive neurons in the rat hippocampus. Brain Res Bull 22:993–1001

    Google Scholar 

  • Zaborszky L, Cullinan WE (1989) Hypothalamic axons terminate on forebrain cholinergic neurons: an ultrastructural doublelabelling, study using PHA-L tracing and ChAT immunocytochemistry. Brain Res 479:177–184

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Anatomy and Cytobiology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Federal Republic of Germany

    J. F. Staiger

  2. Department of Anatomy, Vrije University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    F. G. Wouterlood

Authors
  1. J. F. Staiger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. F. G. Wouterlood
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Staiger, J.F., Wouterlood, F.G. Efferent projections from the lateral septal nucleus to the anterior hypothalamus in the rat: A study combining Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin tracing with vasopressin immunocytochemistry. Cell Tissue Res 261, 17–23 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00329434

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00329434

Key words

Search

Navigation