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Ultrastructure and morphometry of ACTH-producing cell in the rat anterior pituitary gland stimulated by lysin-vasopressin and prostaglandin E1

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Summary

The aim of this study was to investigate the qualitative and quantitative changes of ACTH-cells in the rat after application of a specific and a non-specific stimulus. A CRF-analog (lysin-vasopressin) and a prostaglandin (prostaglandin E1) were used. 40 rats were injected lysin-vasopressin or prostaglandin E1, respectively, for 4 weeks. The pituitary glands were investigated by means of light microscopy, electron microscopy and morphometry. Activation of the ACTH-cells could be observed after use of both substances, the effect of lysin-vasopressin being more intense than that of prostaglandin E1. Enlargement of the nucleus, the cytoplasm and the organelles involved in hormone-production and -transport were found and verified by morphometry. Additionally an increase in number of the cells could be demonstrated. Prostaglandin influenced not only ACTH-cells, but also other cells of the anterior pituitary.

Zusammenfassung

Ziel dieser Untersuchung war es, quantitative and qualitative Änderungen der ACTH-Zelle in der Rattenhypophyse nach Gabe eines spezifischen und eines unspezifischen Stimulus zu untersuchen. Es wurden ein CRF-Analogon (Lysin-Vasopressin) und ein Prostaglandin (Prostaglandin E1) benutzt. Jeweils 20 Ratten wurden für 4 Wochen Lysin-Vasopressin oder Prostaglandin E1 intraperitoneal injiziert. Die Hypophysen wurden licht- und elektronenoptisch sowie morphometrisch untersucht. Nach Gabe beider Stoffe konnte man eine Aktivierung der ACTH-Zellen beobachten. Die Vergrö\erung des Kerns, des Cytoplasmas und der an der Hormonherstellung beteiligten Zellorganellen lie\ sich morphometrisch nachweisen, wobei die Wirkung von Lysin-Vasopressin ausgeprÄgter war als die des Prostaglandins. Darüber hinaus konnte eine Zunahme der ACTH-Zellzahl gefunden und mit einem statistischen Test als signifikant nachgewiesen werden. Im Gegensatz zu Lysin-Vasopressin erstreckte sich die Wirkung des Prostaglandins auch auf andere Hypophysenzellen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pathology, University of Hamburg, Martinistr. 52, D-2000, Hamburg 20, Federal Republic of Germany

    J. Caselitz & W. Saeger

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  1. J. Caselitz
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  2. W. Saeger
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Supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, SFB 34, Endokrinologie, Hamburg

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Caselitz, J., Saeger, W. Ultrastructure and morphometry of ACTH-producing cell in the rat anterior pituitary gland stimulated by lysin-vasopressin and prostaglandin E1. Virchows Arch. A Path. Anat. and Histol. 378, 23–33 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00427183

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00427183

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