Morphological survey of neurotensin-like immunoreactive neurons in the hypothalamus

• Published in: Peptides (New York, N.Y. : 1980) Vol. 5; pp. 109 - 120
• Main Authors: Ibata, Y., Kawakami, F., Fukui, K., Okamura, H., Obata-Tsuto, H.L., Tsuto, T., Terubayashi, H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 1984
• Subjects: Animals; Arcuate nucleus; Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus - ultrastructure; Catecholamine; Dopamine - metabolism; Fluorescence histochemistry; Histocytochemistry; Hydroxydopamines; Hypothalamus; Hypothalamus - ultrastructure; Immunocytochemistry; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Median eminence; Median Eminence - ultrastructure; Microscopy, Electron; Neurons - metabolism; Neurons - ultrastructure; Neurotensin; Neurotensin - metabolism; Norepinephrine - physiology; Oxidopamine; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus - ultrastructure; Paraventricular nucleus; Rat; Rats; Tissue Distribution; Rat; Immunocytochemistry; Arcuate nucleus; Median eminence; Fluorescence histochemistry; Neurotensin; Paraventricular nucleus; Hypothalamus; Catecholamine
• ISSN: 0196-9781; 1873-5169
• DOI: 10.1016/0196-9781(84)90270-5

Neurotensin-like immunoreactive neuronal perikarya, fibers and terminals in the rat hypothalamus were investigated by light and electron microscopic immunocytochemistry. Distributional density and pattern of these elements were clarified. Fine structure of immunoreactive neuronal perikarya with respect to development of cell organellae and immunoreactive dense granules was also elucidated. Features of immunoreactive processes, dendrites and preterminal axons were examined electron microscopically. In addition to the above findings by light and electron microscopic immunocytochemistry, we examined the coexistence of dopamine and neurotensin-like immunoreactive substances in these same neurons in the arcuate and periventricular nuclei. This was proved by the application of fluorescence histochemistry and immunocytochemistry on the same sections. Moreover, we speculated that the ascending noradrenergic neurons influence the neurotensin immunoreactive neurons in the paraventricular nucleus since a marked decrease in the number of neurotensin-like immunoreactive neuronal perikarya was observed after transection of ascending noradrenergic pathway.