Summary
The infundibular processes of the neurohypophysis of male and female rats were studied after different periods of castration. After seven days an increase in neurosecretory granules was observed. Two types of neurosecretory nerve endings were identified: dark ones, with dense neurosecretory elementary granules of 1600 A, and clear ones, with lighter neurosecretory granules of 1800 A. Protoplasmatic pituicytes showed a large increase in lipid granules together with a general hypertrophy. After one week of castration but with hormonal therapy the protoplasmatic pituicytes appeared normal or even showed less lipid granules than in the controls.
With one month of castration the changes already mentioned in the nerve endings and pituicytes were more pronounced and after six months even more accentuated. Two types of neurosecretory nerve endings were clearly identified and the protoplasmatic pituicytes were loaded with lipid granules.
The probable significance of the two different neurosecretory axons was discussed in relation to recent studies on the isolation of neurosecretory terminals from the neurohypophysis. The changes in the protoplasmatic pituicytes were considered in relation to the possible significance of the lipid granules.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Armstrong, D. T., and W. Hensel: Alteration of bovine estrous cycle with oxytocin. Fed. Proc. 17, 6 (1958).
Barer, R., H. Heller, and K. Lederis: The isolation, identification and properties of the hormonal granules of the neurohypophysis. Proc. roy. Soc. B 158, 388–416 (1963).
Benson, G. K., and S. J. Folley: The effect of oxytocin on mammary gland involution in the rat. J. Endocr. 16, 189–201 (1957).
Bindler, E., F. S. La Bella, and M. Sanwall: Isolated nerve endings (neurosecretosomes) from the posterior pituitary. Partial separation of vasopressin and oxytocin and the isolation of microvesicles. J. Cell Biol. 34, 185–205 (1967).
Bodian, D.: Cytological aspects of neurosecretion in opossum neurohypophysis. Bull. Johns Hop. Hosp. 113, 57–93 (1963).
Brooks, C. McC., I. Ishikawa, K. Koizumi, and H. H. Lu: Activity of neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and its control. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 182, 217–231 (1966).
Deis, R. P.: Influencia de las hormonas sexuales en la concentracion de ocitocina en la neurohipófisis. Rev. Soc. argent. Biol. 35, 315–320 (1959).
De Robertis, E., y L. Primavesi: Citologia de la neurohipófisis de la rata después de la privación de agua y de la inyección de pitresina. Rev. Soc. argent. Biol. 18, 363–366 (1942).
Enami, M.: Neurosecretion II [Japanese text]. Tokyo: Kyodo-Isho Publ. 1957.
Gerschenfeld, H. M., J. H. Tramezzani, and E. De Robertis: Ultrastructure and function in the neurohypophysis of the toad. Endocrinology 66, 741–762 (1960).
Gersh, I.: The structure and function of the parenchymatous glandular cell in the neurohypophysis of the rat. Amer. J. Anat. 64, 407–443 (1939).
Heller, H.: Occurrence, storage and metabolism of oxytocin. In: Oxytocin R. Caldeyro-Barcia and H. Heller (eds.). New York: Pergamon Press, Inc., 1961.
—, and K. Lederis: Characteristics of isolated neurosecretory vesicles from mammalian neural lobes. Mem. Soc. Endocrinol. 12, 35–46 (1962).
Hickey, R. C., K. Hare, and R. S. Hare: Some cytological and hormonal changes in the posterior lobe of the rat's pituitary after water deprivation and stalk section. Anat. Rec. 81, 319–331 (1941).
Ishikawa, T., K. Koizumi, and C. McC. Brooks: Activity of supraoptic nucleus neurons of the hypothalamus. Neurology (Minneap.) 16, 101–106 (1966).
Itano, M.: Zytologische Studien über die Pars nervosa der Hypophysis cerebri der weißen Ratte (Japanese text with German abstract). Acta anat. Nippon 9, 533–550 (1936).
Kleeman, C. R., and R. E. Cuttler: The neurohypophysis. Ann. Rev. Physiol. 25, 385–432 (1963).
Kurosumi, K., and T. Matsuzawa: On the lipid granules in the rat neurohypophysis. Arch. Histol. Jap. 22, 82–83 (1961).
—, Y. Kobayashi, and S. Sato: On the relationship between the release of neurosecretory substance and the lipid granules of the pituicytes in the rat neurohypophysis. Gunna Symp. on Endocrinol. 1, 87–118 (1964).
La Bella, F. S., G. Beaulieu, and R. J. Reiffenstein: Evidence for the existence of separate vasopressin and oxytocin-containing granules in the neurohypophysis. Nature (Lnd.) 193, 173–174 (1962).
—, R. J. Reiffenstein, and G. Beaulieu: Subcellular fractionation of bovine posterior pituitary glands by centrifugation. Arch. Biochem. 100, 399–405 (1963).
Monroe, B.: Ultrastructural changes in the neural lobe of the hypophysis of the rat during lactation and suckling. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 14, 497–517 (1966).
Mottram, J. C., and W. Cramer: On the general effects of exposure to radium on metabolism and tumor growth in the rat and the special effects on testis and pituitary. Quart. J. exp. Physiol. 13, 209–226 (1923).
Nakamura, N.: Cytological observations on the pituicytes of the rat neurohypophysis [Japanese text with English abstract]. Nishinn Iagku 45, 68–76 (1958).
Palay, S. L.: The fine structure of the neurohypophysis. In: Progress in neurobiology (H. Waelsch ed.), vol. 2. New York: P. B. Hoeber, 1957.
Parhon, G. I., et Z. Caraman: Sur les cellules mélanophores du lobe intérmediaire et les cellules lipoidopores du lobe postérieur de l'hypophyse du rat pie. C. R. Soc. Biol. (Paris) 103, 283–284 (1930).
Raviola, E., and G. Raviola: Histochemistry of the rat neurohypophyseal pituicyte lipid granules. Autoxidation of unsaturated fats during fixation. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 11, 176–187 (1953).
Romeis, B.: Hypophyse. In: Handbuch der mikroskopische Anatomie des Menschen (M. v. Möllendorff, ed.), Bd. 7, Teil 3. Berlin: Springer 1940.
Schapiro, S., and L. Stjarne: Evidence for the granular localization of posterior pituitary hormones. Nature (Lond.) 189, 669 (1961).
Suda, I., K. Koizumi, and C. McC. Brooks: Study on the unitary activity in the supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus. Jap. J. Physiol. 13, 374–385 (1963).
Trump, B. F., E. A. Malamed, and E. P. Benditt: A method for staining expoxy sections for light microscopy. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 5, 343–348 (1961).
Weinstein, H., A. Malamed, and H. Sachs: Isolation of vasopressin-containing granules from the neurohypophysis of the dog. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 50, 386–389 (1961).
Yamada, K.: Histologische und histogenetische Untersuchungen über den Hinterlappen der Hypophyse der Ratte [Japanese text with German abstract]. Acta anat. Nippon 6, 641–694 (1933).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported by grants from the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Técnicas and by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AF-AFOSR 963-67).
We are deeply indebted to Mrs. Defilippi-Novoa and Mr. Alberto Saenz for their skillful assistence.
Associated Investigator, Consejo Nacional de Investigaliones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zambrano, D., De Robertis, E. Ultrastructural changes of the neurohypophysis of the rat after castration. Zeitschrift für Zellforschung 86, 14–25 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00340357
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00340357