Magnocellular neurosecretory neurons with ferritin-like immunoreactivity in the hypothalamic supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the rat.

Immunohistochemistry for rat liver ferritin (FRT) revealed an intensive labeling in some structures of the rat brain. In the supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular (PVN) hypothalamic nuclei, almost all neurosecretory neurons with vasopressin (AVP)-like immunoreactivity were immunostained with FRT. After water deprivation, a marked enlargement of cell body and an immunoreactivity to transferrin receptors were found in AVP-, FRT- and double (AVP+FRT)-labeled neurons in the SON and PVN.