Evidence that oxytocin-secreting neurones are involved in the ultrastructural reorganisation of the rat supraoptic nucleus apparent at lactation.

Pre-embedding immunocytochemistry was performed on vibratome sections of the hypothalamus of lactating rats using antiserum directed against oxytocin. Electron microscopy revealed that numerous immunopositive somata and dendrites in the supraoptic nucleus were in direct apposition, without glial interposition; a number of them were also bridged by "double" synapses. The observations support the contention that the ultrastructural reorganisation of the nucleus apparent at lactation affects the magnocellular neurones secreting oxytocin.