Abstract
Publisher Summary This chapter describes and compares the responses to the suckling stimulus of oxytocin (OXT) and vasopressin (AVP) neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) to answer whether only OXT neurons and not AVP neurons respond. There is abundant evidence that OXT is secreted in response to suckling, but the electrophysiological identification of OXT and AVP neurons depends crucially on whether only OXT and not AVP is secreted in response to suckling. Electrophysiological study of individual, antidromically identified neurons in the SON and PVN, has revealed two major patterns of electrical activity in both nuclei; because only non-phasic neurons respond to the suckling stimulus that have been designated OXT-containing and the phasic neurons AVP-containing. The chapter presents a method for measurement of nucleolar size by the image-shearing technique in immunocytochemically identified oxytocin- and vasopressin-containing neurons. Measurements are made on neurons in sections through the medial and lateral subnuclei of the paraventricular nucleus of 9-day lactating rats and a control group of post-partum rats deprived of their litters since birth. The nucleoli of oxytocin neurons, but not vasopressin neurons, are significantly enlarged in the lactating rats. The suckling stimulus activates oxytocin neurons, but not vasopressin neurons, in the paraventricular nucleus.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
