Summary
Rathke's pouches isolated from rat fetuses on day 12 were maintained in organ culture for 9 days and investigated immunohistochemically to test whether or not the hypothalamus is involved in the cytodifferentiation of the adenohypophysis. The unlabeled antibody enzyme method demonstrated that the cultured tissue contains different types of glandular cells, i.e., adrenocorticotropin (ACTH)-, growth hormone (GH)-, luteinizing hormone (LH)-, thyrotropin (TSH)-, and prolactin-producing cells. Indirect evidence was also obtained to indicate the presence of melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH)-cells. These findings suggest that adenohypophysial primordial cells of rats start to synthesize their respective hormones without stimuli from neurosecretory substances of the brain which are known to be essential for the maintenance of the secretory activity of the adult gland.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chalkley, H.W.: Method for the quantitative morphologic analysis of tissues. J. nat. Cancer. Inst. 4, 47–53 (1943)
Daikoku, S., Kinutani, M., Watanabe, Y.G.: Role of hypothalamus on development of the adenohypophysis: an electron microscopic study. Neuroendocrinology 11, 284–305 (1973)
Eguchi, Y., Morikawa, Y., Hashimoto, Y.: Lack of hypertrophy of the adrenal in exencephalic fetal rats subjected to hypervitaminosis A and then to maternal adrenalectomy. Endocrinology 88, 1526–1528 (1971)
Fink, G., Smith, G.C.: Ultrastructural features of the developing hypothalamo-hypophysial axis in the rat. A correlative study. Z. Zellforsch. 119, 208–226 (1971)
Halász, B., Pupp, L., Uhlarik, S.: Hypophysiotrophic area in the hypothalamus. J. Endocr. 25, 147–154 (1962)
Halász, B., Kosaras, B., Lengvári, I.: Ontogenesis of the neurovascular link between the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary in the rat. In: Brain-Endocrine Interaction. Median Eminence: Structure and Function (K.M. Knigge, D.E. Scott and A. Weindl, eds.) p.27–34. Basel: Karger 1972
Mason, I.E., Phifer, R.F., Spicer, S.S., Swallow, R.A., Dreskin, R.B.: An immunoglobulin-enzyme bridge method for localizing tissue antigens. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 17, 563–569 (1969)
Nakane, P.K.: Classifications of anterior pituitary cell types with immunoenzyme histochemistry. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 18, 9–20 (1969)
Nikitovitch-Winer, M., Everett, J.W.: Functional restitution of pituitary grafts re-transplanted from kidney to median eminence. Endocrinology 63, 916–930 (1958)
Nikitovitch-Winer, M., Everett, J.W.: Histocytologic changes in grafts of rat pituitary on the kidney and upon re-transplantation under the diencephalon. Endocrinology 65, 357–368 (1959)
Sétáló, G., Nakane, P.K.: Studies on the functional differentiation of cells in fetal anterior pituitary glands of rats with peroxidase labeled antibody methods. Anat. Rec. 172, 403 (1972)
Trowell, O.A.: The culture of mature organs in a synthetic medium. Exp. Cell Res. 16, 118–147 (1959)
Watanabe, Y.G., Matsumura, H., Daikoku, S.: Electron microscopic study of rat pituitary primordium in organ culture. Z. Zellforsch. 146, 453–461 (1973)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
We wish to express our thanks to Dr. A. Kawaoi for providing anti-porcine 1–39ACTH, to Dr. S.S. Spicer for the supply of anti-porcine 17–39ACTH and to Dr. P. Petrusz for the gift of antisera against bovine GH, bovine TSH, HCG and rat prolactin. We should also like to thank Mr. Y. Okamura for technical help and Mr. I. Shimada for preparation of the photographs.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Watanabe, Y.G., Daikoku, S. Immunohistochemical study on adenohypophysial primordia in organ culture. Cell Tissue Res. 166, 407–412 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220135
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220135