The corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) neurosecretory system in intact, adrenalectomized, and adrenalectomized-dexamethasone treated rats. An immunocytochemical analysis.

In general, antisera generated against ovine CFR do not reveal immunopositive neuronal perikarya in the rat. If animals are adrenalectomized significant amounts of immunoreactive CFR are present in the hypothalamus. By using this model, we have visualized the CFR system of the rat. Intact, intact pretreated with dexamethasone, adrenalectomized, and adrenalectomized pretreated with dexamethasone animals were used in the present study. In adrenalectomized and adrenalectomized plus dexamethasone treated animals the CFR-immunopositive neurons were observed in the parvocellular portion of the paraventricular nucleus. Distinct pathways of CRF fibers could be seen emerging from this hypothalamic nucleus. The greatest number of these fibers exited the PVN laterally and crossed either superior to or beneath the fibers of the fornix. The fibers then turned ventrally and cascaded to form a bundle of fibers above the superio-lateral margin of the optic chiasm. They turned caudally and followed the optic tract. As these fibers reached the level of the anterior median eminence, they turned medially to run along the inferior margin of the hypothalamus and enter the median eminence. A few fibers emerged from the PVN along the periventricular margin of the third ventricle, traveled caudally in the periventricular nucleus and entered the median eminence. Adrenalectomized and adrenalectomized-dexamethasone treated rats had very dense accumulations of immunoreactive CRF in the median eminence when compared with controls. Immunoreactive neurons and fibers were also observed in the central nucleus of the amygdala in the adrenalectomized and adrenalectomized-dexamethasone treated animals.