Summary
Persistent estrus and diestrus was produced in rats by the administration of estrone for either 5 days or 30 days, respectively, immediately after birth. Female rats without any treatment were used for control. After these rats grew up, the anterior pituitaries were examined by electron microscopy. The identification criteria for two types of gonadotrophs, FSH-and LH-cells, proposed by Barnes were adopted. In the persistent estrous rats, FSH-gonadotrophs were almost normal, but LH-gonadotrophs were filled with an abundance of secretory granules which were probably suppressed in discharge. On the other hand, in the persistent diestrous rats, FSH-cells were few in number and strongly atrophic, containing a few secretory granules, while LH-cells were almost normal or rather slightly activated. These electron microscopic findings well coincide with the results of light microscopy of ovaries, which suggested that in the persistent estrous rats FSH secretion might be almost normal but the secretion of LH might be inhibited, while in the persistent diestrous rats FSH secretion might be almost totally abolished but LH might be moderately secreted. From these findings, identification of FSH-and LH-gonadotrophs in the anterior pituitary of the rat well coincides with that proposed by Barnes in mice.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barnes, B. G.: Electron microscope studies on the secretory cytology of the mouse anterior pituitary. Endocrinology 71, 618–628 (1962).
Caulfield, J. B.: Effects of varying the vehicle of OsO4 in tissue fixation. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 3, 827–830 (1957).
Farquhar, M. G., and J. F. Rinehart: Electron microscopic studies of the anterior pituitary gland of castrate rats. Endocrinology 54, 516–541 (1954).
Kurosumi, K., and Y. Kobayashi: Corticotrophs in the anterior pituitary glands of normal and adrenalectomized rats as revealed by electron microscopy. Endocrinology 78, 745–758 (1966).
—, and Y. Oota: Corticotrophs in the anterior pituitary glands of gonadectomized and thyroidectomized rats as revealed by electron microscopy. Endocrinology 79, 808–814 (1966).
Purves, H. D.: Morphology of the hypophysis related to its function. In: Sex and internal secretion, vol. 1, p. 161–239 (W. C. Young ed.). Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins 1961.
Rennels, E. G.: Gonadotrophic cells of rat hypophysis. In: Cytologie de l'Adenohypophyse (J. Benoit et C. Da Lage eds.), p. 201–213. Paris: Centre national de la Recherche scientifique 1963.
Reynolds, E. S.: The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron-opaque stain in electron microscopy. J. Cell Biol. 17, 208–212 (1963).
Takasugi, N.: Veränderungen der hypophysären gonadotropen Aktivität der daueranoestrischen und der ovariektomierten Ratten unter Stress-Situationen. J. Fac. Sci. Univ. Tokyo IV. 7, 625–639 (1956).
Takewaki, K.: Some aspects of hormonal mechanism involved in persistent estrus in the rat. Experientia (Basel) 18, 1–6 (1962).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kurosumi, K., Oota, Y. Electron microscopy of two types of gonadotrophs in the anterior pituitary glands of persistent estrous and diestrous rats. Zeitschrift für Zellforschung 85, 34–46 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00330584
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00330584