Summary
The supraoptic nuclei and the infundibular process of the neurohypophysis were studied under the electron microscope in rats fed on dried food for 1 to 3 days and in similarly dehydrated animals but injected subarachnoidally with puromycin 4 to 24 hours prior to fixation. With 4 to 8 hours of puromycin the intracisternal filamentous material found in the control is greatly diminished. After 24 hours this inhibitory effect disappears in the perikaryon but the neurotubular material of the neuronal processes within the supraoptic nucleus and the neurosecretion in the infundibular process are greatly reduced. These results are discussed taking into consideration the inhibition of protein synthesis caused by puromycin and the neurosecretory cycle which characterizes the supraoptic neurons.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allen, D. W., and P. C. Zamecnik: The effect of puromycin on rabbit reticulooyte ribosomes. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 55, 865–874 (1962).
Caro, L. G., and G. E. Palade: Protein synthesis, storage and discharge in the pancreatic exocrine cell. J. Cell Biol. 20, 473–495 (1964).
Flexner, L. B., J. B. Flexner, R. B. Roberts, and G. de la Haba: Loss of memory in mice as related to regional inhibition of cerebral synthesis. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 52, 1165–1169 (1964).
Gerschenfeld, H. M., J. H. Tramezzani, and E. de Robertis: Ultrastructure and function in neurohypophysis of the toad. Endocrinology 66, 741–762 (1960).
González Aguilar, F., and E. de Robertis: A formalin-perfusion fixation for histophysiological study of the central nervous system with the electron microscope. Neurology (Minneap.) 13, 758–771 (1963).
Heyningen, H. E. van: Secretion of protein by the acinar cells of the rat pancreas, as studied by electron microscopy radioautography. Anat. Rec. 148, 485–497 (1964).
Lindberg, O., and L. Ernster: The turnover of radioactive phosphate injected into the subarachnoid space of the brain of the rat. Biochem. J. 46, 43–47 (1949).
Millonig, G.: Further observations on a phosphate buffer for osmium solutions in fixation, in 5th Internat. Congr. for Electron Microscopy, Philadelphia, (S. S. Breeze jr. ed.), vol. 2, P-8. New York: Academic Press, Inc., 1962.
Nadler, N. J., B. A. Young, C. P. Leblond, and B. Mitmaker: Elaboration of thyroglobulin in the thyroid follicle. Endocrinology 74, 333–354 (1964).
Nathans, D.: Inhibition of protein synthesis by puromycin. Fed. Proc. 23, 984–989 (1964).
Palade, G. E.: The secretory process of the pancreatic exocrine cell. In: Electron microscopy in anatomy (J. D. Boyd, F. R. Johnson and J. D. Lever, ed.), p. 176–206. London: Edward Arnold (1961).
Pasqualino, A., e P. Ragonese,: Aspetti citomorfologici dei nuclei ipotalamici neurosecernenti nelle varie fasi del ciclo estrale in ratte albine. Boll. Soc. ital. Biol. sper. 34, 907–909 (1958).
Reynolds, E. J.: The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron opaque stain in electron microscopy. J. Cell Biol. 17, 208–212 (1963).
Sabatini, D. D., and Y. Tashiro: Ribosomal site of attachment of guinea-pig liver ribosomes to microsomal membranes, in 6th Internat. Congr. of Biochemistry, New York 1, 84 (1965).
Sachs, H., and Y. Takabatake: Evidence for precursor in vasopressin biosynthesis, Endocrinology 75, 943–948 (1964).
Tashiro, Y.: Role of intracellular membrane systems in protein biosynthesis in liver. In: Protein nucleic acid and enzyme, vol. 10, p. 151–156. 1965 (In Japanese).
—, and P. Siekevitz: Localization on hepatic ribosomes of protein newly synthesized in vivo. J. molec. Biol. 11, 166–173 (1965).
Venable, J. H., and R. E. Coggeshall: A simplified lead citrate stain for use in electron microscopy. J. Cell Biol. 25, 407–408 (1965).
Wagner, R. R., and A. J. Huang: Reversible inhibition of interpheron synthesis by puromycin: evidence for an interpheron-specific messenger RNA. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 54, 1112–1118 (1965).
Warshawsky, H., C. P. Leblond, and B. Droz: Synthesis and migration of proteins in the cells of the exocrine pancreas as revealed by specific activity determination from autoradiographs. J. Cell Biol. 16, 1–27 (1963).
Williamson, A. R., and R. Schweet: Role of the genetic message in polyribosome function. J. molec. Biol. 11, 358–372 (1965).
Zambrano, D., and E. de Robertis: Intracisternal filamentous material in neurosecretory cells of the supraoptic nucleus. Anat. Rec. 154, 446 (1966a).
—: The secretory cycle of supraoptic neurons in the rat. (A structural-functional correlation.) Z. Zellforsch. 73, 414 (1966b).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported by grants from the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Técnicas and by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (963–65).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zambrano, D., Robertis, E. Ultrastructural aspects of the inhibition of neurosecretion by puromycin. Zeitschrift für Zellforschung 76, 458–470 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00339748
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00339748