Light- and electron-microscopic characterization of electrophysiologically-identified, horseradish peroxidase-injected magnocellular neuroendocrine cells in goldfish preoptic nucleus.

We recorded intracellularly from neurons in the goldfish preoptic nucleus which were antidromically identified by electrical stimulation of the pituitary gland and marked by intracellular injection of horseradish peroxidase for subsequent localization. At the light-microscopic level, labeled neurons resembled profiles of Golgi-impregnated neurons and lay in the magnocellular portion of the preoptic nucleus. Densely labeled axons and dendrites projected to the lateral forebrain bundle, the medial forebrain bundle, fiber tracts in the preoptico-hypophysial tract, small blood vessels and capillaries, the ependymal lining of the third ventricle and toward the preoptic neurons. Occasionally, a lightly-labeled, large perikaryon lay adjacent to a large, heavily-labeled magnocellular neuron. Ultrastructural examination of these identified cells revealed dense reaction product in neuronal perikarya and processes. Heavily labeled perikarya had elaborate networks of endoplasmic reticulum, extensive Golgi apparatus, occasional somatic spines and infrequent axo-somatic contacts from unlabeled neurons. These labeled perikarya which were frequently in close somatic apposition with unlabeled profiles were sometimes adjacent to a large, lightly-labeled perikaryon. A thin glial sheath separated most labeled neurons and processes from brain capillary endothelium. Labeled dendrites had heavily labeled spines and axo-dendritic contacts from unlabeled neurons. Labeled axons abutted unlabeled-axons and -dendrites. Synaptic boutons innervating labeled structures always contained small clear synaptic vesicles and some boutons also contained large dense-core vesicles. These results demonstrate the complex connections of goldfish preoptic magnocellular neuroendocrine cells with other neurons, fiber systems, brain capillaries, ventricular ependyma and the pituitary and provide further support for non-endocrine as well as endocrine functions of magnocellular neurons.