Simultaneous monoamine histofluorescence and neuropeptide immunocytochemistry: III. Ontogeny of catecholamine varicosities and neurophysin neurons in the rat supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei.
The ontogeny of the rat supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular (PVN) nuclei was studied using a combined fluorescence-immunocytochemical technique for the simultaneous localization of catecholamines (CA) and neurophysin (NP). NP neurons and CA varicosities were first detected in the SON and PVN at 1 days postcoitus. The development of NP neurons which included increases in immunoreactivity in both nuclei proceeded through fetal and neonatal stages, approaching maturity by 21-28 days postnatal; the maturation of the PVN lagged behind that of the SON. CA varicosities appear to make contact with NP neurons beginning at 21-22 days postnatal adult-like patterns were established. The prenatal dominance of NP stain relative to CA fluorescence may suggest a possible neurotrophic role for magnocellular neurons and/or their products upon ingrowing noradrenergic axons.
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000254:growth & development*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009481:Neurophysins / Q000032:analysis*; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D013495:Supraoptic Nucleus / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development*
D002395:Catecholamines; D009481:Neurophysins