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The posterior pituitary of the garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus L.)

Evidence of two types of neurosecretory axons on the basis of ultrastructural characteristics

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Summary

Ultrastructural examination of the posterior pituitary of the garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus L.) was carried out at different times in the annual cycle of this hibernating rodent. Obvious differences between experimental groups have not been observed, and the results presented here must be considered as general features of the garden dormouse posterior pituitary. Neurosecretory axons and endings can be divided into two types, according to different aspects of neurosecretory granules (NSG) and microvesicles (MV). One type contains spherical NSG with homogeneous cores and round MV. In the other type, NSG have various, often elongated, shapes. Their content shows two types of crystalline structures and most of the MV have flattened aspects. As it is very unlikely that this duality in NSG is a result of an artefact of fixation, three hypotheses are presented as explanation. The duality of NSG might be related either to their hormonal content (oxytocin or vasopressin) or to their degree of maturation. Moreover, both explanations may be valid. In the species studied, pituicytes often contain concentric lamellar structures of the endoplasmic reticulum (whorls), the significance of which remains obscure.

Résumé

L'ultrastructure de la posthypophyse du Lérot a été examinée à différents stades du cycle annuel de ce rongeur hibernant. Il n'a pas été observé de différences évidentes entre les stades étudiés, et sont donc présentées ici les caractéristiques générales retrouvées chez tous les animaux. Les axones neurosécréteurs et leurs terminaisons peuvent être divisés en deux catégories suivant l'aspect des grains de neurosécrétat et des microvésicules présents. Le premier type contient des grains arrondis, à contenu d'apparence homogène, avec des microvésicules rondes. Dans les autres axones, les grains sont de forme variable, souvent allongés, et leur contenu présente deux sortes d'organisations cristallines; les microvésicules y sont en majorité aplaties. Considérant comme improbable que cette dualité résulte seulement d'un artefact, trois hypothèses sont envisagées. La dualité d'aspect des grains peut être liée à leur contenu en hormone (ocytocine ou vasopressine); ou bien l'aspect des grains peut correspondre à leur degré de maturation. Il est possible aussi que ces explications soient toutes deux valables. Par ailleurs, les pituicytes du Lérot contiennent fréquemment un réticulum endoplasmique organisé en lamelles concentriques (whorls). La signification de ces formations reste pour l'instant obscure.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Equipe de Recherche Associée au C.N.R.S. n∘ 322, Laboratoire d'Histologie I de la Faculté de Médecine, Marseille, France

    Jean-Louis Boudier

  2. Laboratoire d'Histologie A de la Faculté de Médecine, Nancy, France

    Claude Burlet

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  1. Jean-Louis Boudier
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  2. Claude Burlet
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This work was supported in part by grants of INSERM (C.R.L. n∘ 73.1091.7 and A.T.P. n∘ 4.74.25)

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Boudier, JL., Burlet, C. The posterior pituitary of the garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus L.). Cell Tissue Res. 188, 189–204 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00222630

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