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Immunocytochemical identification of adenohypophyseal cells in the pirarucu (Arapaima gigas), an Amazonian basal teleost

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Abstract

The adenohypophysis (AH) of juvenile pirarucu (Arapaima gigas), a representative species of the Osteoglossomorpha (bonytongue fishes, one of the oldest living groups of the teleosts), was studied using histochemical and immunocytochemical methods. The AH is comprised of the pars distalis (PD), without a clear distinction between rostral pars distalis (RPD) and proximal pars distalis (PPD), and the pars intermedia (PI). The neurohypophysis (NH) is positioned on top of the PD and penetrates and branches into the PI. In the most rostral dorsal portion of the PD, adrenocorticotropic cells and fusiform gonadotropic cells were found. In the central PD, scarce prolactin-producing cells and growth-hormone-producing cells were located mainly in the dorsal part, whereas round gonadotropic cells were abundant in the ventral portion of this region. Human thyrotropin immunoreactive cells were not found in the entire AH. In the PI, melanotropic, some adrenocorticotropic, and somatolactin-producing cells were located intermingled surrounding the neurohypophyseal branches. Our results showed that the A. gigas pituitary has some basal characteristics between the ancient Actinopterygii and the more derived teleosts.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by FAPESP (99/12571-3 and 02/00763-0), and a CNPq grant 300503/98-9 (to RV). The authors thank all researchers, laboratory and institute, who kindly provided antisera used in this study. We also thank Mr. Cruz Alberto M. Rigonati for technical support, Dr. Sergio R. Batlouni and M.S. Rafael H. Nóbrega for designing the drawing, and Dr. Raúl Laiz-Carrión and M.S. Erkuden Perez Carrera for their assistance with the immunocytochemical method.

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  1. Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Professor Lineu Prestes 1524, Sao Paulo, 05508-900, SP, Brazil

    M. I. Borella & R. Venturieri

  2. Departamento de Biologia, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cadiz, Puerto Real, 11510, Cadiz, Spain

    J. M. Mancera

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  1. M. I. Borella
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Borella, M.I., Venturieri, R. & Mancera, J.M. Immunocytochemical identification of adenohypophyseal cells in the pirarucu (Arapaima gigas), an Amazonian basal teleost. Fish Physiol Biochem 35, 3–16 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-008-9254-x

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