title: The hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system in streptozotocin-diabetic rats: ultrastructural and immunocytochemical evidence for alterations of oxytocin- and vasopressin-containing neuronal profiles.
abstract: The hypothalamic paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei and the neurohypophysis of rats were investigated 8 weeks after streptozotocin (STZ)-induction of type 1 diabetes. Vasopressin (VP)- and oxytocin (OT)-containing neuronal profiles were examined using the pre-embedding peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique for electron microscopy. Ultrastructural alterations were observed in the somata, dendrites and axons of VP- and OT-labelled profiles. There was no evidence, however, for alterations in the synapses associated with VP- or OT-labelled somata, dendrites and axons. The results indicate that both VP- and OT-containing neuronal profiles are involved in the ultrastructural reorganisation of the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial complex during diabetic conditions. Depletion of VP- and OT-containing axon profiles in the neurohypophysis may suggest increased release of both neurohypophysial hormones in STZ-induced diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, University College London, Great Britain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loesch
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lincoln
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burnstock
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013311:Streptozocin; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014667:Vasopressins; D010121:Oxytocin; D013311:Streptozocin