VIP fibers in rat optic chiasm and optic nerve arising from the hypothalamus

• Published in: Peptides (New York, N.Y. : 1980) Vol. 18; no. 2; pp. 263 - 267
• Main Authors: Fogel, K, Szeiffert, G, Görcs, T J, Kausz, M, Köves, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 1997
• Subjects: Animals; Axonal Transport; Colchicine; Eye Enucleation; Hypothalamus - cytology; Hypothalamus - physiology; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Nerve Fibers - ultrastructure; Neurons - cytology; Neurons - physiology; Optic Chiasm - cytology; Optic Chiasm - physiology; Optic Nerve - cytology; Optic Nerve - physiology; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus - cytology; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus - physiology; Phytohemagglutinins; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Supraoptic Nucleus - cytology; Supraoptic Nucleus - physiology; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide - analysis
• ISSN: 0196-9781
• DOI: 10.1016/S0196-9781(96)00288-4

This is the first report showing VIP fibers in the optic chiasm and the optic nerves of intact rats. These fibers form a fan-shaped dorso-medial bundle in the optic nerves. After colchicine injection into the vitreous body VIP fibers could be followed farther in the optic nerve toward the eye when compared to intact rats. After removal of eyes (enucleation) the VIP fiber-bundle became more prominent and VIP immunoreactive perikarya appeared in the supraoptic and para ventricular nuclei. When five-nine months after the enucleation Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin was administered to the paraventricular or supraoptic area, the anterogradely transported tracer was demonstrated in the optic nerve. These observations suggest the existence of a hypothalamic projection to the eye, which is, at least in part, VIP immunoreactive.