Prolactin and growth hormone cells in the human hypophysis: a study with immunoenzyme histochemistry and differential staining.
Growth hormone and prolactin cells were immunostained in human hypophyses with antibody against rat growth hormone or prolactin and the peroxidase-antiperoxidase complex. Growth hormone cells were round and, in normal pituitaries, arranged in sizable groups. Prolactin cells occurred singly and were less numerous; they were often extensively branched. Only a few prolactin cells stained with carmoisine. Incubation of the antibody with an excess of the appropriate antigen greatly diminished or abolished immunostaining; absorption of anti-prolactin with growth hormone often enhanced it. Prolactin cells were somewhat hypertrophied and hyperplastic in a neonate. Many of them stained with carmoisine. An even greater hypertrophy and hyperplasia of these cells (which pushed apart the growth hormone cells) was found in a lactating woman. Immunostained giant prolactin cells were also observed. Staining of the prolactin cells with carmoisine was extensive. Upon prolonged exposure to anti-growth hormone antibody, ACTH/MSH cells also showed immunostaining which was abolished by absorption of the antiserum with growth hormone but not with synthetic 1-24ACTH. Growth hormone cells evidently correspond to the alpha acidophils of Romeis, prolactin cells in lactation to his eta cells; the relation of his epsilon cells to the pleomorphic "resting" prolactin cells is not clear.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000276:immunology; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007774:Lactation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010544:Peroxidases; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000166:cytology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011388:Prolactin / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats
D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D010544:Peroxidases