Organization of Angiotensin II Immunoreactive Cells and Fibers in the Rat Central Nervous System

The distribution of angiotensin II (AII)-immunoreactive cells and fibers was examined in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats with and without colchicine pretreatment. As seems to be the case for a number of other neuropeptides, AII is preferentially found in brain stem, hypothalamic, and limbic structures involved in the control of homeostatic functions. AII-stained cell bodies were most prominent in magnocellular parts of the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei, and cells were also found in parvocellular parts of the former. Other hypothalamic nuclei containing cell bodies include the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the medial preoptic area, and perifornical parts of the lateral hypothalamic area. Of considerable…