Agustin Aoki

In this report the postnatal differentiation of the hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus (VMN) was studied. The main maturational changes detected at the fine structural level occurred between 10 and 20 days of postnatal life. In 5-day-old rats the majority of neurons was undifferentiated, with rudimentary cytoplasmic organelles. Dendritic profiles presented an empty appearance due to an electron-lucent matrix and scarce content of organelles. At 10 days there was a significant proliferation of cytoplasmic organelles in the perikaryon, mainly of those involved in protein biosynthesis as the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and the Golgi complex. After 20 days of age the VMN neurons acquired the cytological appearance of adult neurons, with well-organized RER, Golgi complexes, and pleomorphic mitochondria. Concurrent with these changes, there was a marked development of other organelles in the neuropil, which was accompanied by an increase in synaptic density and differentiation of their subsynaptic structures.

The changes produced in the hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus (VMN) of ovariectomized rats after administration of 100 microgram estradiol benzoate/kg body weight were studied using light and electron microscopy. Quantitative morphometric studies included number and size of VMN neurons and nuclei, size and density of terminals and synaptic contacts, spine-to-shaft ratio of postsynaptic elements and relative frequency of two types of synaptic vesicles. Evidence was obtained favoring the concept of heterogeneous composition of the VMN: in ovariectomized animals many cells appeared in a state of quiescence, but other neurons showed no major alterations. Estrogen administration to ovariectomized rats produced evidence of metabolic stimulation such as increase in rough surfaced endoplasmic reticulum, condensation of nucleolar material, enlarged Golgi and presence of pleomorphic mitochondria. The number of neurons in the VMN was not modified by estrogen treatment; however, neuron soma and nuclei were larger. In the ventrolateral division of the VMN terminals and synaptic contacts per unit area were increased after estrogen treatment, but synaptic contact length, terminal size and spine-to-shaft ratio were not modified. The possibility that the differences observed may be consequent to changes in synaptic organization of the VMN related to its estrogen-dependent functions is discussed.