Skip to main content
Log in

Testosterone-induced alterations in the reactivity pattern of the neurons in the arcuate nucleus of male mice

A karyometric study

  • Published:
Cell and Tissue Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The effects of testosterone administration on the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus were studied in adult male mice by means of karyometry. Four animals per group were sacrificed 1, 2, and 3 h after intramuscular injection of 100 μg testosterone propionate/100 g body weight. The nuclear diameter of neurons was measured in serial coronal sections. Testosterone induced an increase in the nuclear diameter of neurons located in the dorsal and medial periventricular zones of the arcuate nucleus. The neurons exhibiting the greatest changes in nuclear diameter were situated in the rostral portion of the nuclear area examined. In the central portion of the arcuate nucleus no response to testosterone was found. The present data support previous observations showing mosaically arranged nerve-cell groups in this hypothalamic nucleus.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barry J (1981) Immunocytochimie, topographie comparée et fonctions des neurones peptidergiques à gonadoliberine (LRH) chez les Vertébrés. Verh Anat Ges 75:997–1001

    Google Scholar 

  • Baulieu EE (1978) Wirkungsmechanismus der Östrogene. Physiologische Aspekte der hormonellen „Rezeptivität”. Die Anti-Östrogene. Klin Wochenschr 56:683–695

    Google Scholar 

  • Benninghoff A (1950) Funktionelle Kernschwellung und Kernschrumpfung. Anat Nachr 1:50–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Fischmeister HF (1967) Apparative Hilfsmittel in der Stereologie. In: Weibel ER, Elias H (eds) Quantitative Methoden der Morphologie. Springer, Berlin-Heidelberg-New York, pp 221–249

    Google Scholar 

  • Grant LD, Heritage AS, Stumpf WE (1977) Localization of 3H estradiol uptake sites in relation to CNS catecholamine pathways by combined fluorescence microscopy/autoradiography techniques. Acta Pharmacol Toxicol 41:44–45

    Google Scholar 

  • McEwen BS, Luine VN (1979) Specificity, mechanisms and functional significance of steroidreceptor interactions in the brain and pituitary. In: CNRS Colloque Internationaux du CNRS No. 280, Biologie Cellulaire des Processus Neurosécrétoires Hypothalamiques. CNRS, Paris, pp 239–265

    Google Scholar 

  • McEwen BS, Krey LC, Luine VN (1978) Steroide hormone action in the neuroendocrine system: When is the genome involved? In: Reichlin S, Baldessarini RJ, Martin JB (eds) The Hypothalamus. Raven Press, New York, pp 255–268

    Google Scholar 

  • McEwen BS, Davis PG, Jellinck PH, Krey LC, Lieberburg I, Luine VN, MacLusky NJ, Parsons B, Roy EJ (1980) Steroid hormone receptors, brain cell function, and the neuroendocrine system. In: Pepeu G, Kuhar MJ (eds) Receptors for neurotransmitters and peptide hormones. Raven Press, New York, pp 383–390

    Google Scholar 

  • Millhouse OE (1979) A Golgi anatomy of the rodent hypothalamus. In: Morgane PJ, Panksepp, J (eds) Handbook of the hypothalamus, anatomy of the hypothalamus, Vol. 1, Dekker, New York Basel, pp 221–261

    Google Scholar 

  • Mueller GC, Herranen AM, Werrell KF (1958) Studies on the mechanisms of action of estrogens. Recent Prog Horm Res 14:95–139

    Google Scholar 

  • Nishizuka M (1979) Topography of the dopamine neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the mouse hypothalamus. Acta Anat (Basel) 103:34–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Romeis B (1968) Mikroskopische Technik. Oldenbourg, München, Wien

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider A (1976) Reaktionsmuster von Neuronenkomplexen im Nucleus arcuatus der Albinomaus. Karyometrische und cytophotometrische Studien. Dissertation, Justus Liebig-Universität, Giessen

    Google Scholar 

  • Schulz V, Hartwig HG (1980) Cytometric investigations in histochemically identified neurons. Changes of fluorescence intensities and nuclear diameter in dopamine neurons of the arcuate nucleus in the cycling rat. Exp Brain Res 38:293–298

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sharp PJ, Fraser HM (1978) Control of reproduction. In: Jeffcoate SL, Hutchinson JSM (eds) The endocrine hypothalamus. Academic Press, London, pp 271–332

    Google Scholar 

  • Stumpf WE, Sar M (1975) Hormone-architecture of the mouse brain with 3H-estradiol. In: Stumpf WE, Grant LD (eds) Anatomical neuroendocrinology Karger, Basel, pp 82–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Stumpf WE, Sar M (1977) Steroid hormone target cells in the periventricular brain: relationship to peptide hormone producing cells. Fed Proc 36:1973–1977

    Google Scholar 

  • Toran-Allerand CD (1976) Sex steroids and the development of the newborn mouse hypothalamus and preoptic area in vitro: Implications for sexual differentiation. Brain Res 106:407–412

    Google Scholar 

  • Záborsky L, Makara GB (1979) Intrahypothalamic connections: An electron microscopic study in the rat. Exp Brain Res 34:201–215

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann P (1974) Cytometrische und mikrospektrographische Studien über Wechselbeziehungen zwischen Endothel-, Glia und Ganglienzellen. Habilitationsschrift, Justus Liebig-Universität, Giessen

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann P (1982) Estrogen-dependent changes in the functional interrelationships among neurons, ependymal cells and glial cells of the arcuate nucleus. Cytometric studies in the female albino mouse. Cell Tissue Res 227:113–128

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Member of the Scientific Research Career of CONICET, Argentina; scholar of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Santolaya, R.C., Zimmermann, P. Testosterone-induced alterations in the reactivity pattern of the neurons in the arcuate nucleus of male mice. Cell Tissue Res. 229, 183–189 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00217890

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00217890

Key words

Navigation