ISSN:
1432-0878
Keywords:
Lamellar whorls
;
Arcuate nucleus
;
Hypothalamus
;
Estradiol benzoate
;
Cyproterone acetate
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Summary The arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (AH) of male rats which had been treated either with estradiol benzoate (E2B) or cyproterone acetate (CPA) was examined ultrastructurally for the presence of whorls of endoplasmic reticulum. The incidence of whorl containing neurons (WCN) was 2–4 times higher in the AH of animals treated for 2–3 weeks with E2B or for 2 weeks with CPA than in the AH of oil treated controls. CPA is a powerful anti-androgen while E2B acts both peripherally and centrally to limit testosterone production. These findings, together with previous evidence that whorls proliferate in AH of male rats deprived of androgen by morphine treatment or castration, suggest that steroid feedback (androgen alone or both androgen and estrogen) plays an important role in AH whorl proliferation. The possibility that WCN may be LH-RH containing neurons is suggested by the close correspondence between the number and location of WCN within AH as determined in this study and the distribution of LH-RH containing cells reported by others.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00219835
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