Summary
Opsin-immunoreactive sites of hypothalamic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-contacting neurons, pinealocytes and retinal cells were studied in various vertebrates (Carassius auratus, Phoxinus phoxinus, Triturus cristatus, Bombina bombina, Rana esculenta) by means of postembedding immuno-electron microscopy with the use of the protein A-gold labeling method. The retina of the rat served as a general reference tissue for the quality of the immunocytochemical reaction.
A strong opsin immunoreaction (rat-antibovine opsin serum) was obtained in the rod-type outer segments of photoreceptors in the retina of all species studied. Cone-type outer segments exhibited only very few antigenic binding sites. In the pineal organ of the goldfish and the frog, outer segments of the photoreceptor cells displayed strong immuno reactivity.
No immunoreaction was found in hypothalamic CSF-contacting neurons and Landolt's clubs of nerve cells of the bipolar layer of the retina. The morphological similarity between the ciliated dendritic terminal of the Landolt's club and the intraventricular dendritic ending of the CSF contacting neurons is emphasized.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cohen AI (1963) The fine structure of the visual receptors of the pigeon. Expt Eye Res 2:88–97
Collin JP, Oksche A (1981) Structural and functional relationships in the nonmammalian pineal organ. In: Reiter RJ (ed) The pineal gland: Anatomy and biochemistry, vol I: 27–67, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida
Dodt E (1962) Über die Grundvoraussetzungen der Duplizitätslehre des Sehens. Naturwissenschaften 49:530–533
Hartwig HG, Baumann Ch (1974) Evidence for photosensitive pigments in the pineal complex of the frog. Vision Res 14:597–598
Hartwig HG, Oksche A (1982) Neurobiological aspects of extraretinal photoreceptive systems: Structure and function. Experientia 38:991–996
Hendrickson A (1966) Landolt's club in the amphibian retina: a Golgi and electron microscopic study. Invest Ophthal 5:484–496
Landolt E (1871) Beiträge zur Anatomie der Retina von Frosch, Salamander und Triton. Arch Mikr Anat 7:81–100
Locket NA (1970) Landolt's club in the retina of the African lungfish, Protopterus aethiopicus, Heckel. Vision Res 10:299–306
Meissl H, Dodt E (1981) Comparative physiology of pineal photoreceptor organs. In: OkscheA, Pévet P (eds) The pineal organ. Photobiology — biochronometry — endocrinology. Dev Endocrinol 14:61–80. Elsevier, Amsterdam New York
Oksche A, Hartwig HG (1979) Pineal sense organs — components of photoneuroendocrine systems. Progr Brain Res 52:113–130
Oksche A, Kirschstein H (1967) Die Ultrastruktur der Sinneszellen im Pinealorgan von Phoxinus laevis L. Z Zellforsch 78:151–166
Oksche A, Kirschstein H (1971) Weitere elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen am Pinealorgan von Phoxinus laevis L. (Teleostei, Cyprinidae). Z Zellforsch 112:572–588
Papermaster DS (1982a) Preparation of retinal rod outer segments. Methods Enzymol 81:48–52
Papermaster DS (1982b) Preparation of antibodies to rhodopsin and the large protein of rod outer segments. Methods Enzymol 81:240–246
Papermaster DS, Schneider BG, Zorn MA, Kraehenbuhl JP (1978) Immunocytochemical localization of opsin in outer segments and Golgi zones of frog photoreceptor cells. An electron microscope analysis of cross-linked albumin-embedded retinas. J Cell Biol 77:196–210
Röhlich P (1967) The ultrastructure of photoreceptors under normal and experimental conditions. (In Hungarian). Cand Med Sci Thesis, Hung Acad Sci, Budapest
Roth J (1982) Application of immunocolloids in light microscopy. Preparation of protein A-silver and protein A-gold complexes and their application for localization of single and multiple antigens in paraffin sections. J Histochem Cytochem 30:691–696
Roth J, Bendayan N, Orci L (1978) Ultrastructural localization of intracellular antigens by the use of protein A-gold complex. J Histochem Cytochem 26:1074–1081
Stell WH, Hárosi FI (1976) Cone structure and visual pigment content in the retina of the goldfish. Vision Res 16:647–658
Vigh B, Vigh-Teichmann I (1973) Comparative ultrastructure of the cerebrospinal fluid-contacting neurons. Int Rev Cytol 35:189–251
Vigh B, Vigh-Teichmann I (1981) Light and electron microscopic demonstration of immunoractive opsin in the pinealocytes of various vertebrates. Cell Tissue Res 221:451–463
Vigh B, Vigh-Teichmann I, Röhlich P, Aros B (1982) Immunoreactive opsin in the pineal organ of reptiles and birds. Z Mikr Anat Forsch 96:113–129
Vigh-Teichmann I, Vigh B (1979) A comparison of epithalamic, hypothalamic and spinal neurosecretory terminals. Acta Biol Acad Sci Hung 30:1–39
Vigh-Teichmann I, Röhlich P, Vigh B, Aros B (1980a) Comparison of the pineal complex, retina and cerebrospinal fluid contacting neurons by immunocytochemical antirhodopsin reaction. Z Mikr Anat Forsch 94:623–640
Vigh-Teichmann I, Vigh B, Röhlich P, Olsson R (1980b) Phylogenetic aspects of the sensory neurons of the wall of the diencephalon. In: Spatz M, Mrsulja BB, Rakic LjM, Lust WD (eds) Circulatory and developmental aspects of brain metabolism, Plenum Press, New York, pp 415–428
Vigh-Teichmann I, Korf HW, Oksche A, Vigh B (1982) Opsin-immunoreactive outer segments and acetylcholinesterase-positive neurons in the pineal complex of Phoxinus phoxinus (Teleostei, Cyprinidae). Cell Tissue Res 227:351–369
Vigh-Teichmann I, Vigh B, Manzano e Silva MJ, Aros B (1983 a) The pineal organ of Raja clavata: Opsin immunoreactivity and ultrastructure. Cell Tissue Res 228:139–148
Vigh-Teichmann I, Korf HW, Nürnberger F, Oksche A, Vigh B, Olsson R (1983b) Opsinimmunoreactive outer segments in the pineal and parapineal organs of the lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis), the eel (Anguilla anguilla), and the rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri). Cell Tissue Res 230:289–307
Vigh-Teichmann I, Vigh B, Korf HW, Oksche A (1983c) CSF-contacting and other somatostatin-immunoreactive neurons in the brains of Anguilla anguilla, Phoxinus phoxinus, and Salmo gairdneri. Cell Tissue Res 233:319–334
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The authors are indebted to Dr. N.A. Locket, University of Adelaide, Australia, for drawing their attention to the peculiar structure of Landolt's clubs
This investigation was supported by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft to A.O. (Ok 1/25)
On leave of absence from the 2nd Department of Anatomy, Semmelweis OTE, Budapest, Hungary
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vigh, B., Vigh-Teichmann, I., Röhlich, P. et al. Cerebrospinal fluid-contacting neurons, sensory pinealocytes and Landolt's clubs of the retina as revealed by means of an electron-microscopic immunoreaction against opsin. Cell Tissue Res. 233, 539–548 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00212223
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00212223