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An Immunocytochemical Study of the Pituitary Gland of the White Seabream (Diplodus Sargus)

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Abstract

The adenohypophysis of the white seabream (Diplodus sargus) was studied using histochemical and immunocytochemical techniques. The adenohypophysis was composed of rostral pars distalis, proximal pars distalis and pars intermedia. Prolactin (anti-chum salmon prolactin positive) and adrenocorticotropic (anti-human ACTH positive) cells were found in the rostral pars distalis. Prolactin cells were organized into follicles, while ACTH cells were arranged in cords around neurohypophyseal tissue branches that penetrated the rostral pars distalis. In the proximal pars distalis, somatotropic (anti-chum salmon and anti-gilthead seabream growth hormone positive), gonadotropic (anti-chum salmon β-gonadotrophin II and anti-carp β-gonadotrophin II positive, but anti-chum salmon β-gonadotrophin I negative) and thyrotropic (anti-human β-thyrotropin positive) cells were observed. Growth hormone cells were restricted to the dorsal and ventral part of the proximal pars distalis. They were clustered or surrounded the neurohypophyseal branches. Only one type of gonadotrophin cell was identified and they were clustered or isolated in the proximal pars distalis. Scattered groups of thyrotropin cells were located throughout the proximal pars distalis. In the pars intermedia somatolactin (anti-chum salmon and anti-gilthead seabream somatolactin positive) and melanotropic (anti-α-melanotropic hormone positive) cells were localized. In addition, gonadotrophin cells surrounded the pars intermedia or distributed evenly between somatolactin and melanotropic hormone cells. Somatolactin cells were periodic acid-Schiff negative and surrounded the neurohypophyseal branches intermingled with melanotropic cells. These cells were also immunoreactive to anti-human ACTH antiserum.

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  1. Departamento de Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad de Cádiz, Puerto Real, 11510, Cádiz, Spain

    M.M. Segura-Noguera, R. Laíz-Carrión, M.P. Martín del Río & J.M. Mancera

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  1. M.M. Segura-Noguera
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  2. R. Laíz-Carrión
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  3. M.P. Martín del Río
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  4. J.M. Mancera
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Segura-Noguera, M., Laíz-Carrión, R., Martín del Río, M. et al. An Immunocytochemical Study of the Pituitary Gland of the White Seabream (Diplodus Sargus). Histochem J 32, 733–742 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004101127461

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