Postnatal development of the secretory activity of the goat subcommissural organ. A Reissner's fibre and angiotensin II immunohistochemical study.

Subcommissural organ (SCO) secretory activity of the goat (variations of Capra hircus, that live in arid conditions) was examined during the postnatal development, using specific antibodies against the Reissner's fibre (AFRU) and angiotensin II (AAGII). The SCO was strongly stained with the anti-glycoproteins that form the Reissner's fibre and lightly marked with the anti-angiotensin II. The AFRU-immunoreactivity (ir) was found in the ependymal and hypendymal cells and in the ventricular and peripheral secretory routes of the goat SCO. The amount AFRU increases at 6 months and decreases at adult age. In contrast, the anti-angiotensin II-ir was mainly found in the adult age, not being practically observed at one postnatal month. The AAGII-ir was mainly found in ependymal cells in which AFRU-ir was downregulated. In addition, we detected the presence of double immunostained for AFRU and AAGII in ependymocytes of the pre-commissural and subcommissural parts. In conclusion the present results may suggest a functional interrelation between AAGII and the secretory activity of the SCO of this kind of goat.