Effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) on the cytodifferentiation of gonadotropes in rat adenohypophysial primordia in organ culture

The effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) on the development of gonadotropes were investigated by the use of organ culture and by means of immunocytochemistry and radioimmunoassay. Pituitary primordia from rat fetuses were cultured in a medium with or without 10(-9) M GnRH during the firs...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inCell and tissue research Vol. 276; no. 1; p. 35
Main Authors Kudo, A, Park, M K, Kawashima, S
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Germany 01.04.1994
Subjects
Aging - metabolism
Aging - physiology
Animals
Cell Differentiation - physiology
Female
Fetus - chemistry
Fetus - cytology
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone - pharmacology
Immunohistochemistry
Luteinizing Hormone - analysis
Luteinizing Hormone - metabolism
Organ Culture Techniques
Pituitary Gland, Anterior - chemistry
Pituitary Gland, Anterior - cytology
Pituitary Gland, Anterior - metabolism
Pregnancy
Radioimmunoassay
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Time Factors
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Summary:The effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) on the development of gonadotropes were investigated by the use of organ culture and by means of immunocytochemistry and radioimmunoassay. Pituitary primordia from rat fetuses were cultured in a medium with or without 10(-9) M GnRH during the first 24 h of culture. The ratio of the number of immunoreactive LH cells to the total number of cells in the explants derived from 13.5-day fetuses was increased by the GnRH treatment after 6 or 8 days of culture, while the total number of cells was not altered. LH released into the medium and LH content of explants were not affected by the GnRH treatment. Subsequent treatment with 10(-9) M GnRH for 4 h after 7 days of culture resulted in a marked release of LH, accompanying a significant decline in LH content, in both explants exposed or unexposed to the first GnRH treatment. However, the former explants contained a lower amount of LH than the latter explants. The present results indicate that pituitary primordia at 13.5 days of gestation are capable to respond to GnRH, and that GnRH is effective in stimulating the responsiveness of gonadotropes to GnRH during early pituitary cytodifferentiation.
ISSN:0302-766X
1432-0878
DOI:10.1007/bf00354782