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Transmission and scanning electron microscopy study of the characteristics and morphology of pericytes and novel desmin-immunopositive perivascular cells before and after castration in rat anterior pituitary gland

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Abstract

Pericytes are perivascular cells associated with microcirculation. Typically, they are localized close to the capillary wall, underneath the basement membrane, and have sparse cytoplasm and poorly developed cell organelles. However, the specific properties of pericytes vary by organ and the conditions within organs. We recently demonstrated that pericytes in rat anterior pituitary gland produce type I and III collagens. The present study attempted to determine the morphological characteristics of these pituitary pericytes. Castrated rats were used as a model of hormonal and vascular changes in the gland. Pericytes, as determined by desmin immunohistochemistry, were more numerous and stained more intensely in castrated rats. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that pituitary pericytes displayed the typical characteristics of pericytes. In pituitary sections from castrated rats, the Golgi apparatus of pericytes was well developed and the rough endoplasmic reticulum was elongated. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy revealed four pericyte shapes: oval, elongate, triangular, and multiangular. As compared with normal rats, the proportion of oval pericytes was lower, and the proportions of the other three shapes were higher, in castrated rats. These results suggest that pericytes change their fine structure and cell shape in response to hormonal and vascular changes in the anterior pituitary gland. In addition, a novel type of perivascular cell was found by desmin immunoelectron microscopy. The morphological properties of these cells were dissimilar to those of pericytes. The cells were localized in the perivascular space, had no basement membrane, and contained dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum. This new cell type will require further study of its origin and characteristics.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Prof. Tatsuo Ushiki and Dr. Daisuke Koga (Niigata University, Japan) for technical advice on preparing tissues for scanning electron microscopy. We thank Megumi Yatabe (Jichi Medical University, Japan) for her suggestions on transmission electron microscopy procedure. We also thank David Kipler of Supernatant Communications for revising the language of the manuscript. This work was supported in part by promotional funds for the Keirin Race of the Japan Keirin Association, the Research Award to JMU Graduate student, and a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan to T.Y. (22590192).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, Jichi Medical University, School of Medicine, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan

    Depicha Jindatip, Ken Fujiwara, Tom Kouki & Takashi Yashiro

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  1. Depicha Jindatip
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  2. Ken Fujiwara
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  3. Tom Kouki
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  4. Takashi Yashiro
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Correspondence to Depicha Jindatip or Takashi Yashiro.

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12565_2012_144_MOESM1_ESM.ppt

Supplementary Fig. 1 Double immunofluorescent histochemistry of polyclonal anti-desmin antibody (a, c, red) and monoclonal anti-desmin antibody (b, c, green). The section was incubated with anti-human desmin mouse monoclonal antibody (diluted 1:100, clone D33; Dako, Glostrup, Denmark) and then treated with Alexa Fluor 488-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG (dilated 1:200; Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA). After the process of immunostaining against the monoclonal antibody was complete, another immunostaining was performed using a polyclonal primary antibody and Alexa Fluor goat 568-conjugated anti-rabbit IgG (Invitrogen). Nuclei were counterstained with 4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) (blue). Fluorescent images were visualized with a confocal laser microscope (FV1000; Olympus, Tokyo, Japan). All polyclonal anti-desmin-immunopositive cells also show monoclonal anti-desmin immunoreactivity (c). Bars 10 μm (PPT 602 kb)

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Jindatip, D., Fujiwara, K., Kouki, T. et al. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy study of the characteristics and morphology of pericytes and novel desmin-immunopositive perivascular cells before and after castration in rat anterior pituitary gland. Anat Sci Int 87, 165–173 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-012-0144-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-012-0144-z

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