title: Stimulatory effect of Sertoli cell culture medium on the FSH release by pituitary halves in vitro.
abstract: The influence of the medium collected from cultured rat Sertoli cells on the spontaneous and LHRH-stimulated release of gonadotropins by incubated rat pituitary halves was examined. The homogeneity of the cultured population of Sertoli cells taken from 20-day-old rats ranged up to 98%. The cells in culture responded to FSH stimulation with characteristic morphological changes and with increased secretion of estradiol-17 beta. The hemi-pituitaries obtained from sexually mature male rats were incubated for 5 hours in the presence of Sertoli cell culture medium (SCCM) or its fractions obtained by use of ultrafiltration. The SCCM fraction deprived of MW less than 10 kD compounds exhibited a typical inhibin-like activity, whereas crude SCCM as well as its low-molecular-weight fraction stimulated the basal FSH release to about 150% and 175% of the control values, respectively. These fractions exerted an inhibitory effect on the LHRH-stimulated secretion of both LH and FSH. It is concluded that Sertoli cells cultured in chemically defined medium release, apart from inhibin, a non-steroidal, heat-labile substance of MW less than 10 kD which stimulates the basal secretion of FSH and LH and inhibits the LHRH-stimulated secretion of both gonadotropins from incubated rat hemi-pituitaries.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D004958:Estradiol / Q000378:metabolism; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone