title: Immunocytochemistry for LHRH neurons in the arcuate nucleus area of the rat: fact or artifact?
abstract: Antisera to luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) generated against hapten-conjugates in which BSA (bovine serum albumin) is used as a carrier can contain both anti-LHRH and anti-BSA antibodies. Such antisera can cause the false-positive staining of neuronal cell bodies and other elements of the medial basal hypothalamus owing to the presence of anti-BSA, which cross-reacts with albuminoid substances within these cells. Differential blocking experiments using either BSA or LHRH or both BSA and LHRH as immunoabsorbents demonstrated that recent reports of LHRH-containing neurons in the medial basal hypothalamus of the rat have arisen from false-positive results due to the presence of anti-BSA within the anti-LHRH antisera used. Immunocytochemical evidence of LHRH-containing cell bodies in the medial basal hypothalamus (especially within the arcuate nucleus) of the rat remains unproven.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001111:Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats