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Activité de la pars intermedia de l'hypophyse autotransplantée chez l'Anguille

Activity of the pars intermedia of the autotransplanted pituitary gland in the European eel

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Summary

The pituitary gland was autotransplanted in the dorsal muscle of 16 eels; 2 months later, the pigmentation is quite variable, but generally darker than that of hypophysectomized animals. Also, a dark spot appears close to the graft, indicating intermedin (MSH) secretion. There is a correlation between the intensity of the pigmentation, the diameter of the black spot, and the degree of maintenance of the pars intermedia in the 13 cases where it was identified in the transplant. The intermediate lobe tissue is absent in the 3 eels which are as pale as the hypophysectomized ones.

The pars intermedia normally contains 2 cell types: only the cell stainable with the leadhaematoxylin technique (H-Pb) is still present in the grafts: then, it appears responsible for the elaboration of intermedin. The other cell type, PAS positive, less abundant, is strongly regressed and can even disappear. It seems obvious that there are two distinct cell types with their own development. However, no histological criteria suggest that the H-Pb positive cells are hyperactive. As there is no permanent melano-dispersion in the grafted animals, it does not seem evident that the hypothalamus of the eel secretes a MSH-inhibiting factor (MSH-IF) similar to that described in Amphibians. Conversely, the hypothesis of a MSH-releasing factor (MSH-RF) would appear more probable despite a large degree of autonomy of the pars intermedia. These observations are compared with data published on various Vertebrates.

The prolactin-like hormone secreted by the erythrosinophilic cells of the pituitary gland, identified in the 15 healthy grafts, does not seem to play an important role in the control of the pigmentation. It appears even unable to mimic the melanophoro-dispersing effect of the ovine prolactin. The corticotrophic cells present in the 15 transplants do not seem to act on the maintenance of the pigmentation, but their functional activity remains to be evaluated.

Résumé

Chez l'Anguille dont l'hypophyse est autotransplantée dans la musculature dorsale depuis 2 mois, la pigmentation est assez variable, mais généralement plus sombre que celle des animaux hypophysectomisés. De plus, une tache foncée apparaît au voisinage du greffon, indiquant une sécrétion d'intermédine ou MSH (melanocyte-stimulating hormone). Il existe une corrélation entre l'intensité de la pigmentation, le diamètre de cette tache noire et le degré de conservation de la pars intermedia dans les 13 cas où celle-ci est identifiée dans le greffon; le tissu intermédiaire est absent chez les 3 Anguilles aussi pâles que celles hypophysectomisées.

La pars intermedia contient normalement 2 catégories cellulaires; seule celle colorable par l'hématoxyline au plomb (H-Pb) est encore présente dans les transplants: elle apparaît donc responsable de la sécrétion de l'intermédine; l'autre catégorie PAS (acide periodique-fuchsine de Schiff) positive, moins abondante, régresse fortement et peut même disparaître. Il s'agit donc bien de deux types cellulaires distincts, avec une évolution propre. Cependant, aucun caractère histologique ne permet de penser que les cellules hématoxylinophiles de la pars intermedia sont hyperactives, et ce fait, joint à l'absence d'une mélano-dispersion permanente n'autorise pas à conclure à la présence d'un facteur hypothalamique inhibant la décharge de MSH ou MSH-IF chez cette espèce, similaire à celui décrit chez les Amphibiens; l'hypothèse inverse de l'existence d'un MSH-RF, ou facteur de décharge de MSH, apparaît plus probable, bien que la pars intermedia jouisse d'une autonomie importante chez l'Anguille. Ces observations sont discutées à la lumière des données publiées chez d'autres Vertébrés.

L'hormone de type prolactinique sécrétée par les cellules érythrosinophiles de l'hypophyse, présentes dans les 15 greffons viables, ne semble pas jouer de rôle primordial dans le contrôle de la pigmentation, elle apparaît même incapable de reproduire l'effet mélano-dispersant de la prolactine ovine. Les cellules corticotropes, identifiées dans les 15 greffons, ne paraissent pas intervenir dans le maintien de la pigmentation, mais il reste à préciser leur activité fonctionnelle.

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  1. Laboratoire de Physiologie, Institut Océanographique, 75, Paris 5, France

    Madeleine Olivereau

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Nous remercions bien vivement le Dr. Anastasija Dimovska pour l'aide amicale qu'elle nous a apportée au cours de cette expérience lors de son séjour en France rendu possible grâce à une bourse du Gouvernement Yougoslave. Nous remercions Mme Cuvier pour sa participation aux hypophysectomies et aux greffes et Melle J. Olivereau du CNRS pour sa collaboration histologique.

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Olivereau, M. Activité de la pars intermedia de l'hypophyse autotransplantée chez l'Anguille. Z. Zellforsch. 98, 74–87 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00344508

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