Morphometrical analysis of the distribution of corticotrophin releasing factor, glucocorticoid receptor and phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase immunoreactive structures in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus of the rat.

By means of the indirect immunoperoxidase technique the corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) immunoreactive nerve cell bodies and the phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PNMT) immunoreactive nerve terminals in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus of the rat have been mapped out in adjacent vibratome sections (30 micron thick). By means of morphometrical analysis using a semiautomatic image analyser, it was possible to obtain density maps of CRF, GR and PNMT immunoreactive structures within the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus. The statistical analysis by the use of correlation coefficients gives evidence that the PNMT immunoreactive nerve terminals innervate the majority of the CRF immunoreactive nerve cell bodies and that GR are located in the majority of the CRF immunoreactive neurons.