title: Decrease in the nucleo-cytoplasmic volume ratio of rabbit spinal ganglion neurons with age.
abstract: Nuclear and perikaryal volumes, as well as the mean percentage of perikaryal volume occupied by lipofuscin, were estimated in spinal ganglion neurons of 12, 42 and 79 month-old rabbits. The volume ratio between nucleus and perikaryal cytoplasm (N/C volume ratio) decreased progressively and significantly with increasing age. This was not a consequence of the perikaryal enlargement due to the age-related lipofuscin accumulation since the same result was obtained when the volume occupied by lipofuscin was subtracted from the perikaryal volume. The decrease in the N/C volume ratio may depend on an age-related loss of DNA, a cytoplasmic influence on nuclear size, or other unknown causes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Histology, Embryology and Neurocytology, University of Milan, Via Mangiagalli 14, I-20133, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ledda
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barni
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Altieri
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pannese
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology*; D008062:Lipofuscin / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D008062:Lipofuscin