Summary
The peroxidase anti-peroxidase immunocytochemical staining technique has been used to identify prolactin and growth hormone cells in pituitaries from fetal and neonatal sheep. The size of the secretory granules in these cell types has been measured using the image analysing computer Quantimet 720. The area size distributions of the fetal prolactin and growth hormone granules were compared with those in the neonate and the adult. It appears that the gestational age of the fetus may influence the size range of prolactin secretory granules.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alexander, D.P., Britton, H.G., Cameron, E., Nixon, C.L., Foster, D.A.: Adenohypophysis of foetal sheep: correlation of ultrastructure with functional activity. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 230, 10–13P (1973)
Bassett, J.M., Thorburn, G.D., Wallace, A.L.C.: The plasma growth hormone concentration of the foetal lamb. J. Endocrinol. 48, 251–263 (1970)
Beauvillain, J.C., Mazzuca, M., Dubois, M.P.: The prolactin and growth hormone producing cells of the guinea-pig pituitary. Cell. Tissue Res. 184, 343–358 (1977)
Burns, J.: Background staining and sensitivity of the unlabelled antibody-enzyme (PAP) method. Comparison with the peroxidase labelled antibody sandwich method using formalin fixed paraffin embedded material. Histochemistry 43, 291–294 (1975)
Dacheux, F., Dubois, M.P.: Ultrastructural localisation of prolactin, growth hormone and luteinising hormone by immunocytochemical techniques in the bovine pituitary. Cell. Tissue Res. 174, 245–260 (1976)
Farquhar, M.G., Reid, J.J., Daniell, L.W.: Intracellular transport and packaging of prolactin. A quantitative electron microscope autoradiographic study of mammotrophs dissociated from rat pituitaries. Endocrinology 102, 296–311 (1978)
Hwang, P., Robertson, M., Guyda, H., Friesen, H.: The purification of human prolactin from frozen pituitary glands. J. Clin. Endocr. Metab. 36, 110–118 (1973)
Kaplan, S.L., Grumbach, M.M., Aubert, M.L.: The ontogenesis of pituitary hormones and hypothalamic factors in the human fetus: maturation of central nervous system regulation of anterior pituitary function. Rec. Prog. Horm. Res. 32, 161–243 (1976)
Li, J.Y., Dubois, M.P., Dubois, P.M.: Somatotrophs in the human fetal anterior pituitary. Cell Tissue Res. 181, 545–552 (1978)
Nakane, P.K.: Classification of anterior pituitary cell types with immunoenzyme histochemistry. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 18, 9–20 (1970)
Nakane, P.K.: Identification of anterior pituitary cells by immunoelectron microscopy. In: The Anterior Pituitary. (A. Tixier-Vidal and M.G. Farquhar, eds.) New York: Academic Press
Parry, D.M., McMillen, I.C., Willcox, D.L.: Immunocytochemical localisation of prolactin and growth hormone in the ovine pituitary. A morphological and quantitative study. Cell Tissue Res. (in press) (1978)
Parsons, J.A., Erlandsen, S.L.: Ultrastructural immunocytochemical localisation of prolactin in rat anterior pituitary by use of the unlabeled antibody enzyme method. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 22, 340–352 (1974)
Petrali, J.P., Hinton, D.M., Moriarty, G.C., Sternberger, L.A.: The unlabeled antibody enzyme method of immunocytochemistry. Quantitative comparison of sensitivities with and without peroxidase-antiperoxidase complex. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 22, 782–801 (1974)
Petrusz, P., DiMeo, P., Ordronneau, P., Weaver, C., Keefer, D.A.: Improved immunoglobulin-enzyme bridge method for light microscopic demonstration of hormone-containing cells of the rat adenohypophysis. Histochemistry 46, 9–26 (1975)
Suh, H.K., Frantz, A.G.: Size heterogeneity of human prolactin in plasma and pituitary extracts. J. Clin. Endocr. Metab. 39, 328–935 (1974)
Wallace, A.L.C., Ferguson, K.A.: The preparation of sheep growth hormone. J. Endocrinol. 26, 254–263 (1963)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Parry, D.M., McMillen, I.C., Robinson, J.S. et al. Immunocytochemical localisation of prolactin and growth hormone in the perinatal sheep pituitary. Cell Tissue Res. 197, 501–514 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00233573
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00233573