Isolated Pituitary Cells: Assay of CRF1

1973 ◽

Vol 31 ◽

pp. 680-681

Author(s):

William J. Dougherty

Keyword(s):

Golgi Complex ◽

Secretory Granules ◽

Complex Function ◽

Secretory Activity ◽

Secretory Proteins ◽

Perivascular Spaces ◽

Pituitary Cells ◽

Electron Microscopic ◽

Ca Ions ◽

Regulation Of Secretion

The regulation of secretion in exocrine and endocrine cells has long been of interest. Electron microscopic and other studies have demonstrated that secretory proteins synthesized on ribosomes are transported by the rough ER to the Golgi complex where they are concentrated into secretory granules. During active secretion, secretory granules fuse with the cell membrane, liberating and discharging their contents into the perivascular spaces. When secretory activity is suppressed in anterior pituitary cells, undischarged secretory granules may be degraded by lysosomes. In the parathyroid gland, evidence indicates that the level of blood Ca ions regulates both the production and release of parathormone. Thus, when serum Ca is low, synthesis and release of parathormone are both stimulated; when serum Ca is elevated, these processes are inhibited.

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The Ultrastructure of Lymphocytic Hypophysitis

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100098824 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 39 ◽

pp. 466-467

Author(s):

S.L. Asa ◽

K. Kovacs ◽

J. M. Bilbao ◽

R. G. Josse ◽

K. Kreines

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Plasma Cells ◽

Secretory Granules ◽

Sella Turcica ◽

Uranyl Acetate ◽

Lymphocytic Hypophysitis ◽

Pituitary Cells ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Ultrathin Sections ◽

Mass Lesions

Seven cases of lymphocytic hypophysitis in women have been reported previously in association with various degrees of hypopituitarism. We report two pregnant patients who presented with mass lesions of the sella turcica, clinically mimicking pituitary adenoma. However, pathologic examination revealed extensive infiltration of the anterior pituitary by lymphocytes and plasma cells with destruction of the gland. To our knowledge, the ultrastructural features of lymphocytic hypophysitis have not been studied so far.For transmission electron microscopy, tissue from surgical specimens was fixed in glutaraldehyde, postfixed in OsO4, dehydrated and embedded in epoxy-resin. Ultrathin sections were stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate and examined with a Philips 300 electron microscope.Electron microscopy revealed adenohypophysial cells of all types exhibiting varying degrees of injury. In the areas of most dense inflammatory cell infiltration pituitary cells contained large lysosomal bodies fusing with secretory granules (Fig. 1), as well as increased numbers of swollen mitochondria, indicating oncocytic transformation (Fig. 2).

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Measurement of spontaneous neuronal membrane activity by time lapse confocal microscopy

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100141238 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 53 ◽

pp. 972-973

Author(s):

R H. Selinfreund ◽

A. H. Cornell-Bell

Keyword(s):

Membrane Potential ◽

Confocal Microscopy ◽

Patch Clamp ◽

Electrical Activity ◽

Time Lapse ◽

Neuronal Firing ◽

Neuronal Membrane ◽

Pituitary Cells ◽

Patch Clamp Recording ◽

Spontaneous Electrical Activity

Cellular electrophysiological properties are normally monitored by standard patch clamp techniques . The combination of membrane potential dyes with time-lapse laser confocal microscopy provides a more direct, least destructive rapid method for monitoring changes in neuronal electrical activity. Using membrane potential dyes we found that spontaneous action potential firing can be detected using time-lapse confocal microscopy. Initially, patch clamp recording techniques were used to verify spontaneous electrical activity in GH4\C1 pituitary cells. It was found that serum depleted cells had reduced spontaneous electrical activity. Brief exposure to the serum derived growth factor, IGF-1, reconstituted electrical activity. We have examined the possibility of developing a rapid fluorescent assay to measure neuronal activity using membrane potential dyes. This neuronal regeneration assay has been adapted to run on a confocal microscope. Quantitative fluorescence is then used to measure a compounds ability to regenerate neuronal firing.The membrane potential dye di-8-ANEPPS was selected for these experiments. Di-8- ANEPPS is internalized slowly, has a high signal to noise ratio (40:1), has a linear fluorescent response to change in voltage.

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Correlative transmission and high-resolution scanning electron microscopic studies on pituitary cells

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100157632 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (3) ◽

pp. 20-21

Author(s):

S. Tai

Keyword(s):

Cell Types ◽

Depth Of Field ◽

Secretory Cells ◽

Specific Cell ◽

Pituitary Cells ◽

Electron Microscopic ◽

3 Dimensional ◽

Microscopic Studies ◽

Structure And Activity ◽

Intracellular Structure

Extensive cytological and histological research, correlated with physiological experimental analysis, have been done on the anterior pituitaries of many different vertebrates which have provided the knowledge to create the concept that specific cell types synthesize, store and release their specific hormones. These hormones are stored in or associated with granules. Nevertheless, there are still many doubts - that need further studies, specially on the ultrastructure and physiology of these endocrine cells during the process of synthesis, transport and secretion, whereas some new methods may provide the information about the intracellular structure and activity in detail.In the present work, ultrastructural study of the hormone-secretory cells of chicken pituitaries have been done by using TEM as well as HR-SEM, to correlate the informations obtained from 2-dimensional TEM micrography with the 3-dimensional SEM topographic images, which have a continous surface with larger depth of field that - offers the adventage to interpretate some intracellular structures which were not possible to see using TEM.

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