The immunohistochemical study on the morphological changes of oxytocin secreting neurons in the age-related rat hypothalamus

고령에 따른 흰쥐 시상하부 oxytocin 분비세포의 형태적 변화에 대한 면역조직화학적 연구

This study was carried out to investigate the morphological changes of the oxytocin secreting neurons in age-related rat hypothalamus by means of immunohistochemistry. The experimental group was 20 aged female rats (Sprague-Dawley, 25~30 months), and the control group was 10 adult female rats (10 months). All animals were perfused transcardially with 4% paraformaldehyde-lysine-periocdate(PLP), and serial transverse brain sections($30{\mu}m$) were prepared by means of cryotome, and were stained with rabbit anti-oxytocin antisera immunohistochemically, using the free floating method and avidin-viotin peroxidase complex. The results were as followings. 1. The immunostained oxytocin secreting neurons were located at the paraventricular nucleus and supraoptic nucleus of age-related rat hypothalamus chiefly. 2. The numbers of oxytocin secreting neurons decreased at the paraventricular nucleus and supraoptic nucleus of age-related rat hypothalamus(p<0.01) 3. The oxytocin secreting neurons of age-related rat hypothalamus immunostained less than those of the adult rat hypothalamus, and the paraventricular nucleus immunostained greater than supraoptic nucleus in age-related rat. 4. The numbers and expansion of dendrite and axonal varicosities decreased in the age-related rat hypothalamus greatly.