Skip to main content
Log in

Immunocytochemical localisation of prolactin and growth hormone in the perinatal sheep pituitary

A morphological and quantitative study

  • Published:
Cell and Tissue Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

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.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

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)

    Google Scholar 

  • 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)

    Google Scholar 

  • 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)

    Google Scholar 

  • 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)

    Google Scholar 

  • 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)

    Google Scholar 

  • 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)

    Google Scholar 

  • 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)

    Google Scholar 

  • 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)

    Google Scholar 

  • Li, J.Y., Dubois, M.P., Dubois, P.M.: Somatotrophs in the human fetal anterior pituitary. Cell Tissue Res. 181, 545–552 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakane, P.K.: Classification of anterior pituitary cell types with immunoenzyme histochemistry. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 18, 9–20 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • 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)

    Google Scholar 

  • 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)

    Google Scholar 

  • 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)

    Google Scholar 

  • Suh, H.K., Frantz, A.G.: Size heterogeneity of human prolactin in plasma and pituitary extracts. J. Clin. Endocr. Metab. 39, 328–935 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallace, A.L.C., Ferguson, K.A.: The preparation of sheep growth hormone. J. Endocrinol. 26, 254–263 (1963)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints 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

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00233573

Key words

Navigation