Osmoregulatory Circuits in Slices and En Bloc Preparations of Rodent Hypothalamus

Osmoregulatory neural networks in the mammalian hypothalamus are responsible for keeping plasma osmolality near a constant set point. This process involves primary osmosensory neurons located in the organum vasculosum lamina terminalis (OVLT) and effector neurons located elsewhere in the hypothalamus and in other parts of the brain. Hypothalamic effector neurons include vasopressin (VP)- and oxytocin (OT)-releasing magnocellular neurosecretory …