Abstract
An antiserum was prepared against the recently purified bullfrog (bf) growth hormone (GH); it was applied to sections of brain and pituitary of three urodele (Ambystoma, Pleurodeles and Cynops) and three anuran (Xenopus, Bufo vulgaris and B. japonicus) species. No immunostaining was obtained in the urodele pituitary, being consistent with the results of immunoblot analysis of the pituitary homogenate. In the three anuran species, strong immunoreactivity was observed in GH cells that were concentrated in the posterodorsal region of the pars distalis. No GH-like immunoreactivity was detectable in the brain of any of the species. A comparison using adjacent sections stained with anti-bf prolactin (PRL) confirmed the anteroventral localization of PRL cells. Colocalization of GH and PRL was not apparent. These data suggest that the molecular structure of amphibian GHs is considerably different between anurans and urodeles. The antiserum used in the present work shows a high species specificity, recognizing only anuran GHs. In contrast anti-bfPRLlabeled PRL cells in all the amphibian species studied in the present work, suggesting that PRLs possess common amino acid sequences recognized by the anti-bfPRL.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Andersen AC, Kawamura K, Pelletier G, Kikuyama S, Vaudry H (1989) Localization and characterization of prolactin-like immunoreactivity in the pituitary of the frog Rana ridibunda. Gen Comp Endocrinol 73:299–307
Campantico E, Guastalla A (1992) Immunocytochemical identification of growth hormone- and prolactin-producing cells in the hypophysis of the newt Triturus cristatus carnifex Laur. Gen Comp Endocrinol 86:197–202
Feuilloley H, Yon L, Mulatero B, Kobayashi I, Pelletier G, Kikuyama S, Fasolo A, Vaudry H (1991) Localization and characterization of growth hormone (GH) in the pituitary of the frog Rana ridibunda and the newt Triturus carnifex, using a specific anti-amphibian GH serum. Gen Comp Endocrinol 82:259
Frawley LS, Boockfor FR (1991) Mammosomatotropes. Presence and functions in normal and neoplastic pituitary tissue. Endocr Rev 12:337–355
Gallien L, Durocher M (1957) Tables chronologiques du développement chez Pleurodeles waltlii (Michah.). Bull Biol Fr Belg 91:97–114
Guastalla A, Campantico E (1990) Differentiation of PRL, GH and ACTH cells during Rana dalmatina larval development. Fortschr Zool 38:154–165
Guastalla A, Campantico E, Vellano C, Mancuso A, Yamamoto K, Kikuyama S (1992) PRL-, GH- and ACTH-cells in the pituitary of amphibians in normal and experimental conditions. Proceedings of International Symposium Amphibian Endocrinology, Waseda University Tokyo, pp 106–107
Hansen BL, Hansen GN (1976) Immunohistochemical localization and identification of the prolactin and growth hormone producing cells in the pituitary gland of the toad Bufo bufo bufo (L.). Gen Comp Endocrinol 28:52–58
Hauser-Gunsbourg N, Doerr-Schott J, Dubois MP (1978) Identification by immunofluorescence of prolactin- and somatotropinproducing cells in the pituitary gland of the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum Shaw). Cell Tissue Res 194:497–502
Kobayashi T, Kikuyama S (1991) Homologous radioimmunoassay for bullfrog growth hormone. Gen Comp Endocrinol 82:14–22
Kobayashi T, Kikuyama S, Yasuda A, Kawauchi H, Yamaguchi K, Yokoo Y (1989) Purification and characterization of bullfrog growth hormone. Gen Comp Endocrinol 73:417–424
Olivereau M, Bugnon C, Fellman D, Olivereau JM, Aimar C (1976) Etude cytoimmunologique de l'hypophyse du Pleurodèle. CR Soc Biol (Paris) 170:1147–1151
Olivereau M, Olivereau JM, Aimar C (1977) Modifications hypophysaires et thyroïdiennes chez le Pleurodèle en milieu salin. Gen Comp Endocrinol 32:195–204
Olivereau M, Olivereau JM, Kikuyama S, Yamamoto K (1990) Hypothalamo-hypophysial axis in osmoregulation. Fortschr Zool 38:371–383
Rand-Weaver M, Baker BI, Kawauchi H (1991) Cellular localization of somatolactin in the pars intermedia of some teleost fishes. Cell Tissue Res 263:207–215
Sasaki F, Iwama Y (1989) Two types of mammosomatotropes in mouse adenohypophysis. Cell Tissue Res 256:645–648
Schubert C, Welsch U, Goos H (1977) Histological, immuno- and enzyme-histochemical investigations on the adenohypophysis of the urodeles, Mertensiella caucasica and Triturus cristatus and the Caecilian, Chthonerpeton indistinctum. Cell Tissue Res 185:339–350
Shiino M, Ishibashi T (1988) Characteristic ultrastructure of prolactin secreting cells in female musk shrews. In: Hoshino K (ed) Prolactin gene family and its receptors. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 335–339
Sternberger LA (1974) Immunocytochemistry. Osler A, Weiss L (eds) Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Thompson SA, Trimble JJ (1975) Immunocytochemical localization of prolactin in the pars distalis of the salamander Necturus maculosus. Gen Comp Endocrinol 27:314–319
Thorpe JR, Walis M (1991) Immunocytochemical and morphometric studies of mammotrophs, somatotrophs and somatomammotrophs in sheep pituitary cell cultures. J Endocrinol 129:417–422
Yon L, Feuilloley M, Kobayashi T, Pelletier G, Kikuyama S, Vaudry H (1991) Distribution and characterization of immunoreactive growth hormone (GH) in the pituitary of the frog Rana ridibunda using an antiserum against purified bullfrog GH. Gen Comp Endocrinol 83:142–151
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Olivereau, M., Olivereau, J.M., Yamashita, K. et al. Immunocytochemical identification of growth hormote (GH) cells in the pituitary of three anuran species using an antiserum against purified bullforg GH. Cell Tissue Res 274, 627–630 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00314561
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00314561