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Plasticity in the Morphology of Lactotrophs and Folliculo-Stellate Cells and Prolactin Secretion

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Neurosecretion: Secretory Mechanisms

Part of the book series: Masterclass in Neuroendocrinology ((MANEURO,volume 8))

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Abstract

Prolactin is essential for lactation and has numerous additional functions in water and electrolyte balance, brain and behaviour, metabolism, growth and development, reproduction and immune regulation. Many of these functions converge in the physiological adaptive changes during pregnancy. The secretion of prolactin from anterior pituitary lactotroph cells is highly dynamic with large changes in secretion depending on physiological status. Three morphological types of lactotrophs, identified by electron microscopy, secrete prolactin and the relative proportions of each type vary with reproductive status. Due to newly developed tools and techniques including fluorescent protein identification of pituitary cell types and two-photon microscopy, there has been a surge in understanding of the 3D organisation of the anterior pituitary gland into cell networks and the functional plasticity of these networks. Networks of pituitary cells interconnected through junctional complexes were first demonstrated for folliculo-stellate cells and subsequently for somatotrophs, lactotrophs, gonadotrophs and corticotrophs. Network organisation is proposed to underlie the coordination of dramatically large changes in the output of pituitary hormones, for example the increase in prolactin required for lactation. This chapter will review lactotroph subtype structure and function and the importance of lactotroph networks and will consider functional plasticity with respect to the morphology of individual lactotrophs and folliculo-stellate cells in relation to seasonal differences in prolactin secretion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

    Helen C. Christian

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  1. Helen C. Christian
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Correspondence to Helen C. Christian .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Medical School, University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA, USA

    José R. Lemos

  2. Molecular Mechanisms in Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, MMDN, University of Montpellier, EPHE, INSERM, UMR-S1198, Montpellier, France

    Govindan Dayanithi

Key References: See Main List for Reference Details

Key References: See Main List for Reference Details

  • Denef (2008) Excellent, detailed review of paracrine signalling in the pituitary

  • Fauquier et al. (2001) First paper showing network organisation of a pituitary cell type.

  • Featherstone et al. (2016) Important paper that links transcriptional control of PRL to networks.

  • Hodson et al. (2012) Paper shows lactotroph network memory of prolactin demand after weaning.

  • Le Tissier et al. (2016) Excellent review that re-evaluates hypothalamic-vasculature-pituitary control.

  • Wood et al. (2015) Large study that reveals hypothalamic and pituitary plasticity with photoperiod.

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Christian, H.C. (2020). Plasticity in the Morphology of Lactotrophs and Folliculo-Stellate Cells and Prolactin Secretion. In: Lemos, J., Dayanithi, G. (eds) Neurosecretion: Secretory Mechanisms. Masterclass in Neuroendocrinology, vol 8. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22989-4_9

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