The noradrenergic innervation of the XXXX thymus during pregnancy and in the post partum period.

@entity35 @entity2661 @entity1063 @entity11571
The noradrenergic innervation of the @entity35 thymus during pregnancy and the post partum period was examined by a sucrose @entity11571 method for @entity2661 , and by high pressure liquid chromatography. Fluorescent nerves decreased in number throughout pregnancy when there was an overall loss in thymic weight due to cortical involution. These changes are maximal by parturition. There was a dramatic increase in nerves between d 21 of pregnancy and d 1 after parturition, especially in the capsule and around blood vessels in the connective tissue septa. The neonates were removed at parturition and thymic weight was rapidly regained. The increased numbers of nerves remained throughout this post partum period. @entity1063 levels in the thymus altered in a similar pattern throughout pregnancy and the post partum period, but did not parallel thymic weight changes. The mean @entity1063 concentration in the virgin thymus was 1063 +/- 107 pg/mg protein. Levels remained similar during early pregnancy and increased significantly at d 16. Virgin levels were regained by d 21. Values peaked after parturition but rapidly decreased over the next 3 days, and remained at or below virgin levels to d 28 except for a transient rise at d 10 post partum. Adrenaline values were consistently below detection levels. This study shows that there are variations in both nerves visualised, and in neurotransmitter ( @entity1063 ) content in the thymus during the course of pregnancy and the post partum period. Thus thymic function could be influenced by central events (levels of @entity2661 in peripheral blood) as well as local events mediated by transmitter changes in nerves.
