Identification of actin microfilaments in the neurosecretory axons of rat neural lobe]

Incubation of rat neural lobes with heavy meromyosin (HMM) after prolonged glycerination, induced characteristic arrowhead decoration of a number of microfilaments at different levels of the neurosecretory axons. In non terminal sections of axons the labelled microfilaments showed preferential relationships with microtubules in addition to occasional contacts with the axolemma and various axonal organelles. In axonal endings, they were mainly associated to microvesicles and appeared to be anchored on the axolemma facing the perivascular space at the level of membranous densifications.     

Ultrastructural changes in the neural lobe of the rat pituitary induced by reserpine treatment.

The doses of reserpine, which are generally used to deplete amines from the nervous tissue caused marked ultrastructural changes in the neural lobes of reserpine treated rats. The findings suggested depletion of neurosecretory granules, increased lysosomal activity and changes in the pituicytes.     

Effects of surgical sympathectomy on catecholamine concentrations in the posterior pituitary of the rat

Summary Approximately one-third of the norepinephrine in the posterior pituitary of the rat is contained in terminals of sympathetic nerves which originate in the superior cervical ganglia; the remaining norepinephrine and dopamine appear to be in nerves of central origin.This study was supported by USPHS grant NS09174. R.H. Alper is a predoctoral student supported by USPHS Training grant GM07392. K. T. Demarest is supported by NIH Fellowship NS06026.     

Effect of hypothalamic lesions on MSH content of the intermediate lobe of the pituitary gland in the rat

Zusammenfassung Es wird gezeigt, dass Elektrokoagulation in verschiedenen Teilen des basalen Hypothalamus einen Einfluss auf den Melanophorenhormongehalt im Hypophysenzwischenlappen der Ratte hat.     

Uptake of dopamine by the neural lobe of the pituitary gland during postnatal development of the rat

Zusammenfassung Die Aufnahme von injiziertem Dopamin wurde mit Hilfe der Fluorescenzmikroskopie in der neurosecretorischen Axone und in den Pituizyten des Hypophysenhinterlappens der Ratte nachgewiesen. Die Intensität der Fluorescenz nahm während der postnatalischen Entwicklung ab. Mögliche Erklärungen über diese Erscheinung wurden diskutiert.     

Subcellular distribution of acetylcholinesterases in the neural lobe of the bovine pituitary gland

Summary Biochemical analysis of subcellular fractions of bovine neural lobe tissue indicated that non-specific acetylcholinesterase was principally associated with the pituicytes.     

Vital staining of neurosecretory material with acridine orange in the insect,Periplaneta americana

Résumé On expose une méthode rapide de la coloration vitale à l'acridine orange des produits de neurosécrétion dans le tissu nerveux des insectes. Irradiés avec la lumière bleue, tout les types connus de produits de neurosécrétions entrent en fluorescence en prenant une teinte métachromique rouge.

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I am indebted to Prof.B. Johnson for helpful suggestions and criticisms. This study was supported by a University of Tasmania Research Grant and the author has received financial support from I.C.I.A.N.Z. and University of Tasmania Post-Graduate Scholarships.     

Optic lobe neurosecretory cells of an Indian spiderCryptophora sp. (Areinidae)

Summary In all the 3 pairs of optic lobes ofCryptophora sp. there are small groups of monopolar PF^– neurosecretory cells which take on a green colour by PF technique and red by Azan. Their function is unknown, but they may be involved with photoperiodically controlled activity rhythms.We wish to express our thanks to Prof. U.S. Srivastava for providing working facilities and valuable suggestions.     

Adenyl cyclase activity at different environmental temperatures in the isolated rat anterior pituitary membranes

Summary The effect of different environmental temperatures on adenyl cyclase was studied. An increase in temperature appears to increase TRH-induced activity of adenyl cyclase, and possibly causes an increased sensitivity to the hormone. Cyclic AMP levels of the pituitaries showed change at different environmental temperatures.     

Effect ofl- andd-thyroxine on the supraoptic neurosecretory ganglion cells of the rat

Zusammenfassung Mittels grosser Dosen vonl- undd-Thyroxin erhielt man keine deutlichen Veränderungen in der Menge und Verteilung von neurosekretorischem Material in den Zellen des Nucleus supraopticus bei der männlichen Ratte. Das Volumen der Kerne dieser Zellen nahm dagegen zu, besonders bei mitl-Thyroxin behandelten Ratten. Diese Veränderungen sprechen für eine vermehrte neurosekretorische Aktivität dieser Zellen.

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This investigation was supported by a grant from Sigrid Jusélius Foundation, Helsinki. The authors wish also to express appreciation to Pharmacia Company, Sweden for generous supplies of Na-d-thyroxine used in this study, and to MissS. Nurminen for technical assistance.