A System linking the Third Ventricle with the Pars Tuberalis of the Rhesus Monkey

Abstract

IN the course of studies of the hypothalamus of the rhesus monkey, we have investigated a restricted area of specialized ependymal cells. This area lies anterolaterally in the tuber cinereum (see Fig. 1), and is distinguished by the long processes of the ependymal cells which extend to the region of the pars tuberalis; neighbouring ependymal cells are cuboid, without processes. The elongate ependymal cells stain deeply with the Gomori chrome–alum–haematoxylin technique and may be followed with ease using the optical microscope. They are not evident after silver impregnation techniques (Bodian's silver protargol method or Bielschowsky's technique), nor are they detectable after performic acid–alcian blue staining; they can, however, be demonstrated by cresol fuchsin and aldehyde fuchsin and the periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) method.