Organization of ovine corticotropin-releasing factor immunoreactive cells and fibers in the rat brain: an immunohistochemical study
- PMID: 6601247
- DOI: 10.1159/000123454
Organization of ovine corticotropin-releasing factor immunoreactive cells and fibers in the rat brain: an immunohistochemical study
Abstract
The distribution of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-immunoreactive cells and fibers has been examined in the brains of normal adult rats, and in the brains of animals that had been pretreated with intraventricular injections of colchicine, or had been adrenalectomized 3-60 days before perfusion. The results suggest that CRF immunoreactivity is localized in at least three functionally distinct systems. First, most of the CRF-stained fibers in the neurohemal zone of the median eminence, which presumably modulate the release of ACTH and beta-endorphin from the pituitary, appear to arise in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH). About 2,000 CRF-stained cells are distributed throughout all eight parts of the PVH, although a majority (80%) of the cells are concentrated in the parvocellular division, and a smaller number (about 15%) are found in parts of the magnocellular division in which oxytocinergic cells predominate. This appears to be the only CRF-stained pathway in the brain that is affected (increased staining intensity) by adrenalectomy. Second, a series of cell groups in the basal telencephalon, hypothalamus, and brain stem that are known to play a role in the mediation of autonomic responses contain CRF-stained neurons. These areas, which are interconnected by stained fibers in the medial forebrain bundle and the periventricular system, include the central nucleus of the amygdala, substantia innominata, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, medial and lateral preoptic areas, lateral hypothalamic area, central gray, laterodorsal tegmental nucleus, locus ceruleus, parabrachial nucleus, dorsal vagal complex, and regions containing the A1 and A5 catecholamine cell groups. And third, scattered CRF-stained cells are found throughout most areas of the cerebral cortex. Most such cells are confined to layers II and III in the neocortex, and their bipolar shape suggests that they are interneurons. These cells are most common in limbic regions including prefrontal areas, the cingulate gyrus, and areas bordering the rhinal fissure. Scattered immunoreactive cells are also found in dorsal parts of the dentate gyrus and Ammon's horn. These results suggest that the PVH plays a critical role in the modulation of ACTH and beta-endorphin release from the pituitary, and that CRF-containing pathways in the brain are involved in the mediation of autonomic responses.
Similar articles
-
Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF)-like immunoreactivity in the rat central nervous system. Extrahypothalamic distribution.Peptides. 1984;5 Suppl 1:53-69. doi: 10.1016/0196-9781(84)90265-1. Peptides. 1984. PMID: 6384954
-
Immunoreactive corticotropin-releasing hormone in the hypothalamoinfundibular tract.Neuroendocrinology. 1983 Jun;36(6):415-23. doi: 10.1159/000123492. Neuroendocrinology. 1983. PMID: 6348576
-
The CRF neuron: immunocytochemical study.Peptides. 1984;5 Suppl 1:19-33. doi: 10.1016/0196-9781(84)90261-4. Peptides. 1984. PMID: 6207509 Review.
-
Localization, colocalization, and plasticity of corticotropin-releasing factor immunoreactivity in rat brain.Fed Proc. 1985 Jan;44(1 Pt 2):221-7. Fed Proc. 1985. PMID: 2981743
-
The distribution of neurotransmitter-specific cells and fibers in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus: implications for the control of gonadotropin secretion in the rat.Brain Res. 1987 Jan 1;400(1):11-34. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(87)90649-4. Brain Res. 1987. PMID: 2880634 Review.
Cited by
-
Response of CRH system in brain and gill of marine medaka to seawater acidification.Fish Physiol Biochem. 2024 Jun;50(3):1225-1236. doi: 10.1007/s10695-024-01332-7. Epub 2024 Mar 21. Fish Physiol Biochem. 2024. PMID: 38512395
-
Molecular diversity and functional dynamics in the central amygdala.Front Mol Neurosci. 2024 Feb 14;17:1364268. doi: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1364268. eCollection 2024. Front Mol Neurosci. 2024. PMID: 38419794 Free PMC article. Review.
-
The neurophysiological basis of stress and anxiety - comparing neuronal diversity in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) across species.Front Cell Neurosci. 2023 Aug 30;17:1225758. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1225758. eCollection 2023. Front Cell Neurosci. 2023. PMID: 37711509 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Recruitment of Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone (CRH) Neurons in Categorically Distinct Stress Reactions in the Mouse Brain.Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jul 21;24(14):11736. doi: 10.3390/ijms241411736. Int J Mol Sci. 2023. PMID: 37511494 Free PMC article.
-
Hypothalamus and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Review.Brain Sci. 2023 Jun 29;13(7):1010. doi: 10.3390/brainsci13071010. Brain Sci. 2023. PMID: 37508942 Free PMC article. Review.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Molecular Biology Databases