title: Secretory morphology of the intermediate lobe of the rat pituitary incubated in vitro.
abstract: The ultrastructure of the incubated intermediate lobe of the rat pituitary and the morphological effect of isoproterenol stimulation on its cells were studied under in vitro conditions. The general structure of isolated neurointermediate lobes maintained for 2-3 h in vitro was well preserved, and the presence of intact nerve terminals establishing synaptic contacts with the glandular cells of the intermediate lobe was confirmed. Removal of the intermediate lobe from central inhibition leads to increased hormonal secretion, which was reflected by large Golgi areas and the appearance of secretory images. However, no obvious degranulation or peripheral migration of the secretory granules after 2-3 h in vitro was seen. The secretory granules varied in electron density; totally electron-lucent granules were regularly observed and exocytotic phenomena were shown. In addition, more extensive invaginations suggesting secretion by compound exocytosis were seen. A three-fold increase in the beta-endorphin secretion during a 4-min stimulation with 10(-6) M isoproterenol did not induce any morphometrically detectable changes in the incubated cells. This indicates that only a minor fraction of the total granule content is mobilized during an acute increase in secretory activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bäck
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Salminen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Laatikainen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001615:beta-Endorphin; D007545:Isoproterenol