Slide 32. Neurosecretory neurons of the hypothalamus, PAS staining
Explains the large neurons of the supraoptic and paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei that make ADH and oxytocin and send their granules down to the posterior pituitary. Covers the PAS stain, where the magenta secretory material and blue nuclei appear, and how to recognise the cells near the third ventricle and optic chiasm. Also notes the Herring bodies formed where axonal granules pile up and how to tell these neurons apart from ordinary neurons.
Inside: 1 section · 1 min
Topic 121 of 127 in the MU Sofia syllabus for Cytology (Dental Medicine, Year 1). The free AceMed note covers it in 1 section, about 107 words (1 min of reading).
In this note
Introduction
Introduction
Large neurons of the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus make ADH (vasopressin) and oxytocin. They pack the hormones into granules and send them down their axons to the posterior pituitary.
Stain
PAS (periodic acid–Schiff): the secretory material is magenta; nuclei may be counterstained blue.
How to recognise it
Groups of large neurons near the third ventricle and the optic chiasm.
Magenta granules in their cytoplasm.
Granules also along the axons; where they pile up, they form Herring bodies.
A large, round nucleus with a nucleolus.
Don't confuse it with: ordinary neurons, which have no stored secretory granules.
Theory: topics 40 (endocrine glands) and 64 (neurons).
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