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Seasonal variation in the structure and ultrastructure of the pituitary gland in the marine form (trachurus) of the threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus L.

II. Proximal pars distalis and neuro-intermediate lobe

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Summary

The proximal pars distalis of the anadromous marine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus L. form trachurus, is composed of two types of basophils and one acidophil. The dorsal basophils (thyrotrophs) and acidophils (somatotrophs) appear active in those stages of fish undergoing rapid growth (III to V) and are maximally developed in spring fish collected in the sea prior to migration. The ventral basophils (gonadotrophs) are maximally developed in spawning fish. The mode of hormone release from the ventral basophils and acidophils is discussed.

The pars intermedia is composed of two cell types; type 1 contains granules which stain with PAS and type 2 is chromophobic. Neither cell type changed in appearance during the migratory cycle, but type 2 cells were rare in juvenile stages and were of maximal size in spring fish collected in fresh water.

The interdigitation of the neurohypophysis (NH) with the adenohypophysis is more extensive in older fish, as is the number of A-type (stainable) neurosecretory fibres in the anterior regions of the NH. However, the posterior NH does not change in either stainability or fine structure during the course of migration. Synapses of neurosecretory fibres with “trophic” cells of the proximal pars distalis and pars intermedia and with the glial elements of the posterior neurohypophysis are described.

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Author notes

  1. J. F. Leatherland

    Present address: Department of Zoology, University of Hull, England

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver 8, B. C., Canada

    J. F. Leatherland

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  1. J. F. Leatherland
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I am indebted to Drs. W. S. Hoar and T. J. Lam for their help in the preparation of the manuscript and to Messrs. L. Sharman and L. Veto for their technical assistance. The work was supported by a grant in aid of research from the National Research Council of Canada to Dr. W. S. Hoar.

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Leatherland, J.F. Seasonal variation in the structure and ultrastructure of the pituitary gland in the marine form (trachurus) of the threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus L.. Z.Zellforsch. 104, 318–336 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00335685

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00335685

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