Hypothalamo-hypophysial neurosecretory and vascular system of the teleost Labeo rohita (Ham.)

Abstract

The paired nucleus preopticus (NPO) lying on either side of the III ventricle gives rise to the left and right main neurosecretory tracts which proceed posteroventrally towards the pituitary and give rise to several finer axons which ramify the infundibular floor adjacent to the pituitary. The bulk of the neurosecretory tracts enter the pars intermedia and few finer ones are seen among the pars distalis. The ventromedian component of the nucleus lateralis tuberis (NLT) is aldehyde fuchsin (AF) positive whereas the anterolateral neurons are AF negative. The internal carotid artery gives rise to the hypophysial and ventral hypothalamic arteries. The ventral hypothalamic artery gives rise to the primary capillary plexus at the infundibular floor region adjacent to the pituitary stalk. Portal vessels formed from this plexus largely irrigate the adenohypophysis. The hypophysial artery enters the neurohypophysis and gives rise to typical teleostean type neuradenointerface vasculature. Morphological contact between the neurosecretory axons and primary capillary plexus at the floor of the infundibulum suggests the possibility of at least some active principles entering the blood vessels. Structurally L. rohita exhibited both tetrapodean and teleostean type of hypothalamo-hypophysial vasculature. Morphological evidences suggest a direct neuroglandular and an indirect neurovasculoglandular pathways of hypothalamic control of hypophysis in L. rohita.