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Prolactin, hypercalcemia and corpuscles of stannius in seawater eels

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Summary

In intact eels in sea water (SW), ovine prolactin (PRL) treatment induces hypercalcemia, but its mechanism of action, which is discussed, remains to be defined. Corpuscles of Stannius (CSt) are modified simultaneously: two cell categories then become evident. The first cell type (type 1) predominates; it has an oval shape and large granules, it shows a nuclear and nucleolar hypertrophy and a mitotic activity, and appears greatly stimulated by PRL; it may elaborate a hypocalcémic factor (hypocalcin) which would compensate for the PRL-induced hypercalcemia. A similar effect, although slightly less intense, is detected in hypophysectomized-PRL treated eels in SW. A second cell type (type 2), is more elongated, smaller in size, and has an oval nucleus and fine granules. Scarcely less active in SW, it is significantly stimulated by PRL despite an increased blood sodium and potassium level. This experiment does not help to clarify its function.

Résumé

Chez l'Anguille intacte en eau de mer (SW), l'injection de prolactine ovine (PRL) provoque rapidement une hypercalcémie, mais le mécanisme de son action reste à élucider. Simultanément, les corpuscules de Stannius (CSt) sont modifiés: deux catégories de cellules sont alors apparentes. La cellule de type 1, prédominante, par sa forme arrondie, son hypertrophie nucléaire et nucléolaire, ses grosses granulations et son activité mitotique, paraît fortement stimulée par la PRL; elle pourrait être responsable de la sécrétion d'un facteur hypocalcémiant destiné à compenser l'hypercalcémie déclenchée par la PRL. Un effet similaire, mais un peu moins intense, s'observe chez l'Anguille hypophysectomisée en SW. La cellule du type 2 est de petite taille, plus allongée, avec de fines granulations et un noyau ovalaire; temporairement moins active en eau de mer, elle est stimulée par la PRL malgré l'hypernatrémie et l'hyperkaliémie simultanées. Son rôle reste à définir.

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  1. Laboratoire de Physiologie de l'Institut Océanographique, Paris, France

    Madeleine Olivereau & Jacqueline Olivereau

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  1. Madeleine Olivereau
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We are grateful to Mr C. Milet and Mrs E. Martelli (Laboratory of Physiology, Muséum, Paris) for reading the manuscript and making interesting comments and to Miss S. Warrot for the plasma electrolyte determination. We thank Miss A.M. Lemoine for taking care of the injected fish, and the National Institutes of Health, Endocrinology Study Section, Bethesda, USA, for the generous supply of prolactin used in this experiment

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Olivereau, M., Olivereau, J. Prolactin, hypercalcemia and corpuscles of stannius in seawater eels. Cell Tissue Res. 186, 81–96 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00219656

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