Ultrastructure of the rat neural lobe during recovery from hypertonic saline treatment

Summary Neural lobes from rats which had been allowed to drink hypertonic saline for five days were examined electron microscopically and by bioassay of oxytocin levels. The profound changes in the ultrastructure were examined and the reversal of these changes in morphology was followed until the hormone levels returned to normal. The recovery of the gland as measured by the two parameters of structure and hormone content indicated that the morphological recovery apparently preceded the hormone level recovery, a factor which might be explained by continued release of hormone during the period of recovery.