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The alpha-subunit of glycoprotein hormones exists in the prolactin secretory granules of the bullforg (Rana catesbeiana) pituitary gland

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Summary

Our recent finding that the number of immunoreactive α-subunit cells was invariably greater than the total number of immunoreactive gonadotropin (GTH) and thyrotropin (TSH) cells in the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) pituitary gland raises the possibility that the α-subunit also exists in pituitary cells other than GTH and TSH cells. The present study demonstrates that there are a considerable number of immunoreactive prolactin (PRL) cells that are also stained with antibody against the α-subunit when adjacent sections are immunocytochemically examined. Neither immunoreactive growth hormone nor adrenocorticotropin cells are stained with the antibody against the α-subunit. The specificity of the antibody against the α-subunit and of that against PRL was demonstrated by preabsorption test, non-competitive binding test, and immunoblot analysis. Double-immunolabeling with gold particles of different sizes for the α-subunit and PRL revealed that most of the immunolabeled PRL-secretory granules are also labeled with the α-subunit antibody. The gold particles indicating the presence of the α-subunit were mostly found in the peripheral zone of the secretory granules.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Morphology, Institute of Endocrinology, Gunma University, Showa-machi 3-39-15, 371, Maebashi, Japan

    Shigeyasu Tanaka & Kazumasa Kurosumi

  2. Biological Institute, Faculty of Science, Niigata University, 950-21, Niigata, Japan

    Fumihiko Mizutani

  3. Department of Biology, School of Education, Waseda University, 169-50, Tokyo, Japan

    Kazutoshi Yamamoto & Sakaé Kikuyama

Authors
  1. Shigeyasu Tanaka
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  2. Fumihiko Mizutani
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  3. Kazutoshi Yamamoto
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  4. Sakaé Kikuyama
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  5. Kazumasa Kurosumi
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Tanaka, S., Mizutani, F., Yamamoto, K. et al. The alpha-subunit of glycoprotein hormones exists in the prolactin secretory granules of the bullforg (Rana catesbeiana) pituitary gland. Cell Tissue Res 267, 223–231 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00302959

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00302959

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