Summary
The effect of water deprivation or estrogen treatment on the oxytocin content of rat hypothalamic cells was examined using a quantitative immunohistological technique. Oxytocin-containing cells were visualized using the immunoperoxidase technique of Sternberger and a primary antiserum directed against oxytocin. The optical density of the darkest 3.2 μm diameter spot in the cytoplasm of a cell was used as a measure of the oxytocin content of that cell. Water deprivation produced a significant decrease in anti-oxytocin staining in the anterior commissural nucleus of males and females. There was a similar decrease in the paraventricular nucleus of males, but not in the paraventricular nucleus of females or the supraoptic nucleus of either males or females. Estrogen treatment of ovariectomized female rats produced a fall in anti-oxytocin staining in the anterior commissural, but not paraventricular or supraoptic nuclei.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barowicz T, Wójcik K, Ewy Z, Wierzchoś E (1972) Oxytocic activity measurements in blood plasma of boar during semen collection. Bull Acad Pol des Sci 20:519–522
Dyball REJ (1971) Oxytocin and ADH secretion in relation to electrical activity in antidromically identified supraoptic and paraventricular units. J Physiol 214:245–256
George JM (1976) Vasopressin and oxytocin are depleted from rat hypothalamic nuclei after oral hypertonic saline. Science 193:146–148
Jones CW, Pickering BT (1969) Comparison of the effects of water deprivation and sodium chloride imbibition on the hormone content of the neurohypophysis of the rat. J Physiol 203:449–458
Legros JJ, Dreifuss JJ (1975) Water deprivation in rats: Elevated plasma neurophysin levels. Experientia 31:603–605
Parsons B, MacLusky NJ, Krey L, Pfaff DW, McEwen BS (1980) The temporal relationship between estrogen-inducible progestin receptors iin the female rat brain and ten time course of estrogen activation of mating behavior. Endocrinology 107:774–779
Renaud LP (1978) Neurophysiological organization of the endocrine hypothalamus. In: Reichlin S, Baldessarini RJ, Martin JB (eds) The Hypothalamus. Raven Press, New York, p 269–300
Rhodes CH, Morrell JI, Pfaff DW (1981) Immunocytochemical analysis of magnocellular elements in rat hypothalamus: Distribution and numbers of neurophysin, oxytocin, and vasopresin containing cells. J Comp Neurol, in press
Robinson AG (1974) Elevation of plasma neurophysin in women on oral contraceptives. J Clin Invest 54:209–212
Robinson AG, Haluszczak C, Wilkins JA, Huellmantel AB, Watson CG (1977) Physiologic control of two neurophysins in humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 44:330–339
Seif S, Rhodes CH (1981) Changed in oxytocin content of microdissected hypothalamic nuclei as measured by RIA. In preparation
Sharma OP, Hays RL (1973) Release of an oxytocic substance following genital stimulation in bulls. J Reprod Fert 35:359–362
Sokol HW, Zimmerman EA, Sawyer WH, Robinson AG (1976) The hypothalamic-neurohypophysial system of the rat: Localization and quantitation of neurophysin by light microscopic immunocytochemistry in normal rats and in Brattleboro rats deficient in vasopressin and a neurophysin. Endocrinology 98:1176–1188
Sternberger LA (1974) Immunocytochemistry. Prentice-Hall Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Yamaguchi K, Akaishi T, Negoro H (1979) Effect of estrogen treatment on plasma oxytocin and vasopressin in ovariectomized rats. Endocrinol Jpn 26:197–205
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rhodes, C.H., Morrell, J.I. & Pfaff, D.W. Changes in oxytocin content in the magnocellular neurons of the rat hypothalamus following water deprivation or estrogen treatment. Cell Tissue Res. 216, 47–55 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00234544
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00234544