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An ultrastructural study of the effects of hypophysectomy on the supraoptic nucleus of the rat
Author(s) -
Raisman G.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/cne.901470204
Subject(s) - supraoptic nucleus , biology , hypophysectomy , cytoplasm , intracellular , organelle , nucleus , ultrastructure , neurosecretion , hypothalamus , electron microscope , neuroscience , anatomy , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , endocrinology , physics , hormone , optics
The axons of the supraoptic neurons of the rat were sectioned by means of a hypophysectomy. A minority of the neurons survive this operation apparently indefinitely. These cells show an initial stage of accumulation of neurosecretory material. After the first few weeks, the remaining neurohypophysial tissue becomes reorganised into a “miniature” neural lobe so that the neurosecretory cells acquire a new channel for the release of their material into the blood stream. The transient diabetes insipids subsides, and the surviving neurons undergo considerable hypertrophy. The majority of the supraoptic neurons disappear over the first few months after operation. During the first two weeks postoperatively degenerating neurons are found. They are shrunken cells with electron dense cytoplasm and show various stages of degradation of intracellular organelles. They are ultimately removed by the phagocytic activity of glial and possibly other cells.