Electron microscopic cytochemistry of catecholaminergic innervation of LHRH neurons in the medial preoptic area of the rat.
The synaptic interactions between catecholaminergic terminals and luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH)-containing neurons in the medial preoptic area of the rat was studied by electron microscopy using LHRH immunocytochemistry combined with 5-hydroxydopamine labeling or autoradiography after injection of 3H-dopamine or 3H-noradrenaline in the same tissue section. Axon terminals labeled with 5-hydroxydopamine, 3H-dopamine or 3H-noradrenaline were found to make synapse-like contacts with LHRH-immunoreactive nerve cell bodies and fibers in the medial preoptic area and also 5-hydroxydopamine-labeled terminals made synaptic contacts with the same LHRH-immunoreactive nerve fibers with unlabeled terminals. These findings suggest that catecholaminergic neurons may innervate LHRH-containing neurons to regulate LHRH secretion via synapses with other unknown neurons in the medial preoptic area of the rat.
Watanabe
T
T
Nakai
Y
Y
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014316:Tritium
D014316:Tritium; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine