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Adrenocorticotropin production by the intermediate lobe of the rat pituitary

An electron microscopic-immunohistochemical study

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Summary

Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) was localized in the intermediate lobes of normal rat pituitaries with unlabeled antibody and the soluble peroxidase-antiperoxidase complex at the electron microscopic level. All of the intermediate lobe cells (light and dark cells) stained positively for ACTH. Stain of varying intensity was found on secretory granules and vesicles. Structures which resembled rough endoplasmic reticulum stained where the secretory granules and vesicles were most numerous. No stain was on mitochondria, in nuclei, in cisternae and granules of Golgi complexes, or in rough endoplasmic reticulum where there were few secretory granules.

There were distinct immunohistochemical differences between the pars intermedia and anterior lobe ACTH cells. In the ACTH cells of the anterior lobe, the Golgi complex and its granules stained strongly, but not at all in the pars intermedia cells. This suggests that ACTH may not be packaged or condensed in the Golgi region of the latter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, U.S.A.

    G. C. Moriarty & N. S. Halmi

  2. Department of Anatomy, University of Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.A.

    G. C. Moriarty & N. S. Halmi

Authors
  1. G. C. Moriarty
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  2. N. S. Halmi
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Additional information

Supported by NSF Basic Science Development Plan GU-2591, and a grant from the Graduate College, University of Iowa. Present Address: Department of Anatomy, University of Nebraska College of Medicine, 42nd and Dewey Avenue, Omaha, Nebraska 68105, U.S.A.

Recipient of NIH Research Career Award K6-AM-13,576. The work described in this paper was supported by NIH grant AM-02463. The authors wish to thank Mr. P. Hebl for skilled technical assistance. They are also grateful to Dr. L.A. Sternberger for providing the peroxidase-antiperoxidase complex as well as advice and encouragement, to Drs. R. F. Phifer and S. S. Spicer for the 17–39ACTH antiserum, to Dr. W. Rittel (CIBA, Basle, Switzerland) for the 17–39ACTH fragment, and to Dr. J.J. Chart (CIBA, Summit, New Jersey) for providing the αMSH.

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Moriarty, G.C., Halmi, N.S. Adrenocorticotropin production by the intermediate lobe of the rat pituitary. Z.Zellforsch 132, 1–14 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00310292

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