Nucleoli numbers and neuronal growth in supraoptic nucleus neurons during postnatal development in the rat

We present a quantitative study of the variations in the number of nucleoli in supraoptic nucleus neurons during the postnatal period, as well as a morphometric and stereological analysis of the nuclear and cytoplasmic volume changes of these maturing neurons. The mean number of nucleoli per cell was 1.59 +/- 0.28 (mean +/- S.D.) at P1; it then began to decrease until P14 (1.32 +/- 0.67) at which age the adult pattern in the number of nucleoli was attained. The mean nuclear volume increased steadily from 214.56 +/- 6.48 microns 3 (mean +/- S.E.) at P1 to 326.1 +/- 10.93 microns 3 at P14 where it remained constant. The average cytoplasmic volume underwent a remarkable increase during postnatal period from 256.38 +/- 12.66 microns 3 at P1 to 3791.18 +/- 204.88 microns 3 at P90. It is noteworthy that the stabilization of the number of nucleoli coincides with the termination of the nuclear growth phase of supraoptic neurons. We suggest that these nuclear and nucleolar changes reflect the attainment of the fully-differentiated state of the protein synthesis machinery in these neurosecretory neurons.