Summary
In the in vitro slice preparation intracellular recordings and injections of procion yellow (PY) were made in neurons of the hypothalamus. Of these neurons, one medial preoptic-anterior hypothalamus (MPO-AH) and four arcuate-ventromedial hypothalamus (ARC-VM) neurons were driven by electrical stimulation of the median eminence area (ME). Two other MPO-AH and five other ARC-VM neurons were driven by stimulation of the stria terminalis (ST). On the basis of the PY injections two morphologically distinct cell types were delineated: a larger multipolar cell type with a polygonal perikaryon was found with equal frequency in the MPO-AH and the ARC-VM. A smaller fusiform cell type was encountered mainly in the ARC-VM. On the secondary dendrites of both cell types spine-like appendages were seldom seen, but dendritic swellings were common. Some of the dendrites projected to capillaries in both areas and presumably contacted them. The axons were usually tortuous and could only be traced a short distance.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bodoky, M., Réthelyi, M.: Dendritic arborization and axon trajectory of neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus of the rat. Exp Brain Res 28, 543–555 (1977)
Cross, B.A.: Unit responses in the hypothalamus. In: Frontiers of Neuroendocrinology, (eds. L. Martini and W.F. Ganong), Vol. 3, pp. 133–171. New York: Raven Press 1973
Dyer, R.G.: An electrophysiological dissection of the hypothalamic regions which regulate the preovulatory secretion of luteinizing hormone in the rat. J Physiol (Lond) 234, 421–442 (1973)
Field, P.M.: A quantitative ultrastructural analysis of the distribution of amygdaloid fibres in the preoptic area and the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus. Exp Brain Res 14, 521–538 (1972)
Field, P.M., Sherlock, D.A.: Golgi studies of the sexual differentiated part of the preoptic area in the rat. In: Golgi Centennial Symposium Proceedings (ed. M. Santini), pp. 143–146. New York: Raven Press 1975
Hayward, J.N.: Physiological and morphological identification of hypothalamic magnocellular neuroendocrine cells in goldfish preoptic nucleus. J Physiol (Lond) 239, 103–124 (1974)
Hayward, J.N.: Functional and morphological aspects of hypothalamic neurons. Physiol Rev 57, 574–658 (1977)
Kandel, E.R.: Electrical properties of hypothalamic neuroendocrine cells. J Gen Physiol 47, 691–717 (1964)
Kelly, M.J., Moss, R.L., Dudley, C.A.: The effects of microelectro phoretically applied estrogen, cortisol and acetylcholine on medial preoptic-septal unit activity throughout the estrous cycle of the female rat. Exp Brain Res 30, 53–64 (1977a)
Kelly, M.J., Moss, R.L., Dudley, C.A., Fawcett, C.P.: The specificity of the response of preoptic septal area neurons to estrogen: 17α-estradiol versus 17β-estradiol and the response of extrahypothalamic neurons. Exp Brain Res 30, 43–52 (1977b)
Kelly, M.J., Moss, R.L., Dudley, C.A.: The effect of ovariectomy on the responsiveness of preoptic-septal neurons to microelectrophoresed estrogen, Neuroendocrinology 25, 204–211 (1978)
Kreutzberg, G.W., Schubert, P., Lux, H.D.: Neuroplasmic Transport in Axons and Dendrites. In: Golgi Symposium Proceedings (ed. M. Santini), pp. 161–166. New York: Raven Press 1975
Kreutzberg, G.W., Schubert, P., Tóth, L.S., Rieske, E.: Intradendritic transport of postsynaptic sites. Brain Res 62, 399–404 (1973)
Kuhnt, U., Kelly, M.J., Schaumberg, R.: Transsynaptic transport of Procion Yellow in the central nervous system. Exp. Brain Res. (in press)
Kuhnt, U., Schaumberg, R.: Spontaneous and evoked activity in slices maintained in vitro from the lateral geniculate body and the cerebral cortex of the guinea pig. Exp Brain Res Suppl. 1, 394–396 (1976)
Kuhnt, U., Schaumberg, R.: Extrinsic afferent activation of identified neurones of the lateral geniculate body and the visual cortex in the Guinea pig. An in vitro study. Proceedings of the XXVII Internatl. Union of Physiol. Sciences, Abs. 1232 (1977)
Llinás, R., Nicholson, C.: Electrophysiological properties of dendritic and somata in alligator Purkinje cells. J Neurophysiol 34, 532–551 (1971)
Millhouse, O.E.: The organization of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus. Brain Res 55, 71–87 (1973)
Moss, R.L.: Unit responses in preoptic and arcuate neurons related to anterior pituitary function. In: Frontiers of Neuroendocrinology, Vol. 4 (eds. L. Martini and W.F. Ganong). pp. 95–128. New York: Raven Press 1976
Moss, R.L., Dudley, C.A., Kelly, M.J.: Hypothalamic polypeptide releasing hormones: modification of neuronal activity. Neuropharmacology 17, 87–93 (1978a)
Moss, R.L., Kelly, M.J., Dudley, C.A.: Chemosensitivity of hypophysiotropic neurons to the microelectrophoresis of biogenic amines. Brain Res 139, 141–152 (1978b)
Reier, P.J., Cullen, M.J., Froelich, J.S., Rothchild, I.: The ultrastructure of the developing medial preoptic nucleus in the postnatal rat. Brain Res 122, 415–436 (1977)
Renaud, L.P.: Influence of amygdala stimulation on the activity of identified tuberoinfundibular neurons in the rat hypothalamus. J Physiol (Lond) 260, 237–252 (1976)
Schaumberg, R., Kuhnt, U.: Morphological characteristics of physiologically identified neurons in the lateral geniculate body and the visual cortex of the guinea pig. Proceedings of the XXVII Internatl. Union of Physiol. Sciences, Abs. 1977 (1977)
Stretton, A.O.W., Kravitz, E.A.: Neuronal geometry: determination with a technique of intracellular dye injection. Science 162, 132–134 (1968)
Szentágothai, J.: The Parvicellular Neurosecretory System. In: Progress in Brain Research. Lectures on the Diencephalon (eds. W. Bargman and J.P. Schadé), Vol. 5, pp. 135–146. Amsterdam: Elsevier 1964
Szentágothai, J., Flerkó, B., Mess, B., Halász, B.: Hypothalamic control of the anterior pituitary. pp. 40–110. Budapest: Akadémica Kiadó 1962
Weindl, A., Sofroniew, M.V.: Neurohormones and circumventricular organs. In: Brain-Endocrine Interaction III. Neural Hormones and Reproduction (eds. D.E. Scott, G.P. Kozlowski, A. Weindl), pp. 117–137. Basel: Karger 1978
Yagi, K., Azuma, T., Matsuda, K.: Neurosecretory cell: capable of conducting impulse in rats. Science 142, 778–779 (1966)
Zieglgänsberger, W., Reiter, Ch.: Interneuronal movement of procion yellow in cat spinal neurones. Exp Brain Res 20, 527–530 (1974)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Postdoctoral research fellow of the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke (5 F 32 NSO5595-02).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kelly, M.J., Kuhnt, U. & Wuttke, W. Morphological features of physiologically identified hypothalamic neurons as revealed by intracellular marking. Exp Brain Res 34, 107–116 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00238344
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00238344