Distribution of galanin immunoreactivity in the sheep diencephalon.

Although the physiological role of galanin has been demonstrated in several endocrine regulations in sheep, the anatomical characteristics of this neuronal system has never been studied. The distribution of galanin-containing neurones was described by immunohistochemistry using galanin antiserum in the diencephalon of adult ewes, both ovariectomized or treated with colchicine. Galanin-immunoreactivity was found throughout the diencephalon. In the ovariectomized ewes, galanin-immunoreactive neurones were mainly observed in the medial preoptic area and the infundibular nucleus. The highest density of immunoreactive fibres was found in the external layer of the median eminence. Numerous galanin-immunoreactive fibres were also observed in the preoptic area, the mediobasal hypothalamus, the periphery of the supraoptic and the paraventricular nuclei. With colchicine treatment, the number of labelled neurones increased, and additional galanin-immunoreactive perikarya were observed in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, the lateral septum, the supraoptic, the paraventricular and the periventricular nuclei and the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus. In the caudal part of the diencephalon, the density of labelled neurones was lower in both groups of animals than in other species studied. Regardless of treatment, labelling was not seen in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and only rarely in the ventromedial nucleus. These results describe, for the first time, the distribution of galanin-immunoreactive neurones in the sheep diencephalon. Compared to other species studied, distribution in the sheep diencephalon has several distinct differences. In ovariectomized animals, the medial preoptic area presents more labelled neurones in sheep than in monkeys, whereas in the supraoptic nucleus the density of labelled neurones is lower in sheep than in humans or opossums. After colchicine treatment only very few differences were observed between sheep and rats, but in contrast to other species, the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the sheep does not contain labelled neurones.