Distribution of osmoregulatory peptides and neuronal-glial configuration in the hypothalamic magnocellular nuclei of desert rodents |
| |
Authors: | Ouali-Hassenaoui Saliha Bendjelloul Mounira Dekar Aicha Theodosis Dionysia |
| |
Institution: | a Laboratory of Biology and Physiology of Organisms, Neurobiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Scientific and Technical University Houari Boumediene, 16111 Algiers, Algeria b Inserm U862, institut François-Magendie, 1, rue Camille-Saint-Saens, 33077 Bordeaux, France |
| |
Abstract: | The desert rodents Psammomys obesus and Gerbillus tarabuli live under extreme conditions and overcome food and water shortage by modes of food and fluid intake specific to each species. Using immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy, we found that the hypothalamic magnocellular nuclei, and in particular, their vasopressinergic component, is highly and similarly developed in Psammomys and Gerbillus. In comparison to other rodents, the hypothalamus in both species contains more magnocellular VP neurons that, together with oxytocin neurons, accumulate in distinct and extensive nuclei. As in dehydrated rodents, many magnocellular neurons contained both neuropeptides. A striking feature of the hypothalamic magnocellular system of Psammomys and Gerbillus was its display of ultrastructural properties related to heightened neurosecretion, namely, a significant reduction in glial coverage of neuronal somata and dendrites in the hypothalamic nuclei. There were many neuronal elements whose surfaces were directly juxtaposed and shared the same synapses. Their magnocellular nuclei also showed a high level of sialylated isoform of the Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule (PSA-NCAM) that underlies their capacity for neuronal and glial plasticity. These species thus offer striking models of structural neuronal and glial plasticity linked to natural conditions of heightened neurosecretion. |
| |
Keywords: | Vasopressin Oxytocin Plasticity PSA-NCAM Desert rodents |
本文献已被 ScienceDirect PubMed 等数据库收录! |
|