Hatton G I
Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1117.
Prog Neurobiol. 1990;34(6):437-504. doi: 10.1016/0301-0082(90)90017-b.
As the first known of the mammalian brain's neuropeptide systems, the magnocellular hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system has become a model. A great deal is known about the stimulus conditions that activate or inactivate the elements of this system, as well as about many of the actions of its peptidergic outputs upon peripheral tissues. The well-characterized actions of two of its products, oxytocin and vasopressin, on mammary, uterine, kidney and vascular tissues have facilitated the integration of newly discovered, often initially puzzling, information into the existing body of knowledge of this important regulatory system. At the same time, new conceptions of the ways in which neuropeptidergic neurons, or groups of neurons, participate in information flow have emerged from studies of the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system. Early views of the SON and PVN nuclei, the neurons of which make up approximately one-half of this system, did not even associate these interesting, darkly staining anterior hypothalamic cells with hormone secretion from the posterior pituitary. Secretion from this part of the pituitary, it was thought, was neurally evoked from the pituicytes that made the oxytocic and antidiuretic "principles" and then released them upon command. When these views were dispelled by the demonstration that the hormones released from the posterior pituitary were synthesized in the interesting cells of the hypothalamus, the era of mammalian central neural peptidergic systems was born. Progress in developing an ever more complete structural and functional picture of this system has been closely tied to advancements in technology, specifically in the areas of radioimmunoassay, immunocytochemistry, anatomical tracing methods at the light and electron microscopic levels, and sophisticated preparations for electrophysiological investigation. Through the judicious use of these techniques, much has been learned that has led to revision of the earlier held views of this system. In a larger context, much has been learned that is likely to be of general application in understanding the fundamental processes and principles by which the mammalian nervous system works.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
作为哺乳动物大脑中首个被发现的神经肽系统，大细胞下丘脑 - 神经垂体系统已成为一个典范。人们对激活或失活该系统各组成部分的刺激条件，以及其肽能输出对周围组织的诸多作用了解甚多。其两种产物——催产素和血管加压素，对乳腺、子宫、肾脏和血管组织的作用已得到充分表征，这有助于将新发现的、通常最初令人困惑的信息整合到关于这个重要调节系统的现有知识体系中。与此同时，对下丘脑 - 神经垂体系统的研究催生了关于神经肽能神经元或神经元群参与信息流方式的新观念。视上核（SON）和室旁核（PVN）的早期观点认为，构成该系统约一半的神经元甚至与垂体后叶的激素分泌无关。当时认为，垂体这一部分的分泌是由产生催产和抗利尿“原理”的垂体细胞通过神经诱发，然后根据指令释放。当垂体后叶释放的激素是在下丘脑有趣的细胞中合成这一事实被证实，从而推翻了这些观点后，哺乳动物中枢神经肽能系统的时代便诞生了。在构建该系统越来越完整的结构和功能图景方面取得的进展与技术进步紧密相关，特别是在放射免疫测定、免疫细胞化学、光镜和电镜水平的解剖追踪方法以及用于电生理研究的精密标本制备等领域。通过明智地运用这些技术，我们学到了很多东西，从而修正了对该系统早期持有的观点。从更广泛的背景来看，我们学到的很多知识可能在理解哺乳动物神经系统运作的基本过程和原理方面具有普遍应用价值。（摘要截选至400字）
