Effect of adrenalectomy and administration of hypertonic saline on the content of aldehyde fuchsin-positive neurosecretory material and posterior lobe hormones in the median eminence and the neural lobe of rats.

The influence of adrenalectomy and administration of hypertonic saline on the amount of vasopressin, oxytocin, and neurophysin contained in the median eminence and the neural lobe of rats was studied by means of the following methods: (i) morphometric and microphotometric analyses of aldehyde fuchsin-stained histological sections of the neurohypophysis; (ii) immunohistochemical demonstration of vasopressin, oxytocin, and neurophysin in the neurohypophysis, and (iii) radioimmunological measurement of vasopressin and oxytocin in extracts of the median eminence and the neural lobe. Adrenalectomy increases the amount of vasopressin and neurophysin in the external layer of the median eminence but does not change the content of oxytocin. It has no influence on the amount of vasopressin, oxytocin, and neurophysin demonstrable in the inner layer of the median eminence and in the neural lobe two weeks after the operation.

Functional difference between "classical" neurosecretory material and vasopressin-like substances of the outer layer of the median eminence.

In female Wistar rats the influence of adrenalectomy and NaCl administration on the amount of "classical" neurosecretory material (cNSM) in the supraoptico-hypophysial system and on vasopressin-like substance-containing granules (vlG) in the outer layer of the median eminence has been studied. In conjunction with appropriate sodium replacement, adrenalectomy induces an increase in the amount of vlG but does not alter the amount of cNSM. Administration of hypertonic saline diminishes cNSM but has not or only little influence on the amount of vlG.

Methods for determining the proliferation kinetics of cells by means of 5-bromodeoxyuridine.

After treatment of cells with 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR), the percentage of completely BUdR-labelled interphase nuclei is greater the longer the BUdR treatment. The labelling effect is visible after staining with the fluorochrome 33258 Hoechst and with Giemsa. Various formulae and a nomogram are presented by means of which the percentage of cells in S period, duration of the S period and the whole cell cycle can be determined by examination of a single preparation or by comparison of several preparations.

Heteropyknosis of the chromosomes in liver cells of different ploidy: a nuclear image study.

The chromatin densities of Feulgen-stained diploid, tetraploid, octoploid and binucleate cells of smear preparations of the liver of female field voles, Microtus agrestis, were examined by means of image analysis. The ratio of the areas of flattened nuclei of 2n, 4n and 8n ploidy was about 1 : 1.62 :2.