Summary
Hypothalamus and pituitary stalk of the bull were fractionated in a sucrose density gradient according to the Hebb and Whittaker (1958) procedure. The crude mitochondrial-synaptosomal fraction was layered on a discontinuous sucrose density gradient (0.6; 0.8; 1; 1.2 M) and, after 63,000 g (average) centrifugation for 2 hours, 4 bands and one pellet were obtained. The fraction layered on 0.8 M sucrose contained mainly myelin and some rare synaptosomes. The fractions layered on 0.8 M, 1.0 M, and 1.2 M sucrose were very rich in synaptosomes. Different populations of the latter were present: one type contained only clear synaptic vesicles; the second type, in addition to clear synaptic vesicles, had a population of vesicles with homogeneous dense core (about 1000 Å diameter). There was no significant difference between the light fractions of hypothalamus and of pituitary stalk. However, in the heavier fractions derived from the pituitary stalk a considerable number of large profiles containing dense core granules of 2000 Å diameter were present.
In the primary fractions norepinephrine is recovered mainly in the crude synaptosomal fraction, while serotonin is present in higher concentration in the supernatant. In the density gradient serotonin and norepinephrine distribute principally in the three synaptosome-rich fractions, serotonin being more concentrated in the lightest synaptosomal fraction, while norepinephrine is mainly recovered in the heaviest fraction. The differences in the amine distribution in the fractions derived from hypothalamus and pituitary stalk are described and discussed in relation to the different morphology of those fractions.
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Andreoli, V., Ceccarelli, B., Cerati, E. et al. Subcellular fractionation of hypothalamus and pituitary stalk of the bull. Morphologic study and serotonin-norepinephrine distribution. Exp Brain Res 11, 17–28 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00234199
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00234199