Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone (LH-RH) Neurons in Cultures of Fetal Rat Hypothalamus

Abstract
Hypothalamic fragments from 21-day-old fetal rats were cultured in Maximow double-coverslip assemblies for 1 to 2 months. Neurons containing LH-RH were demonstrated immunohistochemically using an antiserum to LH-RH (Dermody; 1:500–1:4,000). LH-RH was demonstrable only in neuronal perikarya (8–13 μm) and in small (μm) round structures nearby, primarily in explants of the median eminence-arcuate nucleus region. Reactive neurons were not found in explants of the preoptic area and could not be demonstrated in fetal hypo-thalami at the time of explantation. The presence of mature-looking LH-RH-containing neurons in these cultures suggests that this tissue culture system can be used for the study of hypothalamic development.