Occurrence of adrenergic nerve fibers and of noradrenaline in thymus gland of juvenile and aged rats.

Adrenergic nerve fibers (ANF) were studied in juvenile, adult and old rats by biochemical and morphological methods and by quantitative analysis of images (QAI). After chemical sympathectomy with neurotoxin 6-OH dopamine, the greater part of ANF disappeared. The whole thymus was drawn in juvenile normal or sympathectomized rats, in adult normal or sympathectomized rats and in old normal or sympathectomized rats. Thymuses from the above-mentioned animals were weighed, measured and dissected. Thymic slices were stained with eosin orange for the detection of the microanatomical details and with Bodian's method for the recognition of the whole nerve fibers. Histofluorescence microscopy was used for staining of ANF while immunofluorescence microscopy was employed for staining of neuropeptide Y (NPY)-like immunoreactivity. Biochemical dosage of proteins and of noradrenaline amount was performed. Finally, all morphological results were subjected to QAI. Our results suggest that: (1) total innervation of the thymus increases with age; (2) ANF do not change with age; (3) the content of noradrenaline in the thymus increases with age; and (4) NPY-like immunoreactive structures in the thymus decrease with age. Biochemical results are in accordance with the morphological ones and both are confirmed by means of QAI. The probable function of sympathetic innervation of rat thymus is also discussed.