Summary
Serotonin-immunoreactive structures in the circumventricular organs (organum vasculosum laminae terminalis, subfornical organ, subcommissural organ and area postrema) of the rat were demonstrated using a modified peroxidase-antiperoxidase immunohistochemical method. Various densities of serotonin fibers were demonstrated in all four circumventricular organs; however, serotonin-positive cells were evident in the area postrema only after nialamide treatment.
Serotonergic supraepedymal fibers were observed on the surface of the organum vasculosum laminae terminalis and that of the subfornical organ, but not on the subcommissural organ and area postrema. The serotonergic plexus of the basal portion of the subcommisural organ was considered to be continuous with the supraependymal plexus.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Armstrong DM, Pickel VM, Joh TH, Reis DJ, Miller RJ (1981) Immunocytochemical localization of catecholamine synthesizing enzymes and neuropeptides in the area postrema and medial nucleus tractus solitarius of rat brain. J Comp Neurol 196:505–517
Björklund A, Owman C, West KA (1972) Peripheral sympathetic innervation and serotonin cells in the habenular region of the rat brain. Z Zellforsch 127:570–579
Bosler O (1977) The organum vasculosum laminae terminalis—A cytophysiological study in the duck. Anas platyrhynchos. Cell Tissue Res 182:383–399
Bosler O (1978) Radioautographic identification of serotonin axon terminals in the rat organum vasculosum laminae terminalis. Brain Res 105:177–181
Bouchaud C, Arluison M (1977) Serotonergic innervation of ependymal cells in the rat subcommissural organ. A fluorescence, electron microscopic and radioautographic study. Biol Cell 30:61–64
Calas A, Bosler O, Arluison M, Bouchaud C (1978) Serotonin as a neurohormone in circumventricular organs and supraependymal fibers. Brain-endocrine interaction III. Neuronal hormones and reproduction. 3rd Int Symp, Würzburg 1977, Karger, Basel, pp 238–250
Dahlström A, Fuxe K (1964) Evidence for the existence of monoamine containing neurons in the central nervous system. I. Demonstration of monoamines in the cell bodies of the brain stem neurons. Acta Physiol Scand 62 (Suppl) 232:1–55
Fuxe K (1965) Evidence for the existence of monoamine containing neurons in the central nervous system. IV. The distribution of monoamine terminals in the central nervous system. Acta Physiol Scand 64 (Suppl) 247:37–85
Fuxe K, Owman C (1965) Cellular localization of monoamines in the area postrema of certain mammals. J Comp Neurol 125:337–354
Jennes L, Beckman WC, Stumpf WE, Grzanna R (1982) Anatomical relationships of serotoninergic and noradrenalinergic projections with the GnRH system in septum and hypothalamus. Exp Brain Res 46:331–338
Leonhardt H (1980) Ependym und circumventriculäre Organe. In: A. Oksche, L. Vollrath (eds) Handbuch der mikroskopischen Anatomie des Menschen, Band 4: Nervensystem, Teil 10: Neuroglia, Springer, Berlin, pp 1–666
Lichtensteiger W (1967) Monoamines in the subfornical organs. Brain Res 4:52–59
Lorez HP, Richards JG (1973) Distribution of indolealkylamine nerve terminals in the ventricles of the rat brain. Z Zellforsch 144:511–522
Lorez HP, Richards JG (1975) 5-HT nerve terminals in the fourth ventricle of the rat brain: Their identification and distribution studied by fluorescence histochemistry and electron microscopy. Cell Tissue Res 165:37–48
Moore RY (1977) Organum vasculosum laminae terminalis: Innervation by serotonin neurons of the midbrain raphe. Neurosci Lett 5:297–302
Moore RY, Halaris AE, Jones BE (1978) Serotonin neurons of the midbrain raphe: Ascending projections. J Comp Neurol 180:417–438
Møllgård K, Wiklund L (1979) Serotoninergic synapses on ependymal and hypendymal cells of the rat subcommissural organ. J Neurocytol 8:445–467
Saavedra JM, Brownstein MJ, Kizer JS, Palkovits M (1976) Biogenic amines and related enzymes in the circumventricular organs of the rat. Brain Res 107:412–417
Sano Y, Takeuchi Y, Matsuura T, Kawata M, Yamada H (1982) Immunohistochemical demonstration of serotonin nerve fibers in the cat neurohypophysis. Histochemistry 75:293–299
Steinbusch HWM (1981) Distribution of serotonin-immunoreactivity in the central nervous system of the rat—cell bodies and terminals. Neuroscience 6:557–618
Steinbusch HWM, Verhofstad AAJ, Joosten HWJ (1978) Localization of serotonin in the central nervous system by immunohistochemistry: Description of a specific and sensitive technique and some applications. Neuroscience 3:811–819
Steinbusch HWM, Nieuwenhuys R (1982) Localization of serotonin-like immunoreactivity in the central nervous system and pituitary of the rat, with special references to the innervation of the hypothalamus. In: (Haber B, Gabay S, Issidorides MR, Alivistatos SGA, eds) Serotonin; current aspect of neurochemistry and function. Adv Expl Med Biol Vol 133, Plenum Press, New York, pp 7–36
Stranahan P, Hartman B, Torack R (1972) The noradrenergic innervation of the area postrema in rat brain. J Cell Biol 55: 253a
Takeuchi Y, Kimura H, Sano Y (1982) Immunohistochemical demonstration of the distribution of serotonin neurons in the brainstem of the rat and cat. Cell Tissue Res 224:247–267
Tramu G, Pillez A, Leonardelli J (1983) Serotonin axons of the ependyma and circumventricular organs in the forebrain of the guinea pig. An immunohistochemical study. Cell Tissue Res 228:297–311
Weindl A, Sofroniew MV (1978) Neurohormones and circumventricular organs. Brain-endocrine interaction III. Neuronal hormones and reproduction, 3rd Int Symp Würzburg 1977, Karger, Basel, pp 117–137
Wiklund L (1974) Development of serotonin-containing cells and the sympathetic innervation of the habenular region in the rat brain—A fluorescence histochemical study. Cell Tissue Res 155:231–243
Ylitalo P, Tammisto T, Potto P (1970) Effect of anesthesia on the behaviour of exogenous 5HT in the area postrema of rat and mouse brain studied by fluorescence microscopy. Ann Med Exp Fenn 48:94–101
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported by grant (No. 57214028) from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Takeuchi, Y., Sano, Y. Serotonin distribution in the circumventricular organs of the rat. Anat Embryol 167, 311–319 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00315669
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00315669