Giant granular filamentous bodies in the cytoplasm of arcuate nucleus neurons of castrated rats

: We have performed an ultrastructural and quantitative study of granular filamentous bodies (GFBs) present in the cytoplasm of some arcuate nucleus neurons of rats of both sexes castrated at one month of age and sacrificed one or three months later, as well as untreated and sham-operated animals of the same ages. GFBs appear as round or ovoid cytoplasmic inclusions of granular-filamentous texture and generally lack a limiting membrane; their sizes vary from 0.7 to 2.8 microns (average 1.7 microns). GFBs are present more frequently in the perikarya, but they also occur in dendrites. In rats of both sexes castrated at one month of age and sacrificed three months later a noticeable finding was the presence of some giant GFBs, whose major axis could reach up to 6 microns. The nomenclature, the origin and the possible significance and function of GFBs are discussed.