Estrogen-concentrating neurophysin-containing hypothalamic magnocellular neurons in the vasopressin-deficient (Brattleboro) rat: a study combining steroid autoradiography and immunocytochemistry

Abstract

This report describes the distribution of neurophysin-containing, estradiol-concentrating neurons in a strain of rat which is congenitally unable to produce vasopressin and its associated neurophysin (the Brattleboro rat). In this strain of rat, all of the neurophysin-containing cells are oxytocin producing. The magnocellular neurons which produce vasopressin in the normal rat are present in their normal numbers and normal locations (Rhodes, C. H., J. I. Morrell, and D. W. Pfaff (1981) J. and can be identified as the neurophysin-negative magnocellular neurons.