title: Immunocharacteristics of oestrogen and androgen target cells in the anterior pituitary gland of the chick embryo as demonstrated by a combined method of autoradiography and immunohistochemistry.
abstract: The distribution of oestrogen and androgen target cells in the anterior pituitary gland of the chick embryo on days 10, 12 and 15 of incubation was studied 1 h after the injection of tritium-labelled steroid hormone using the thaw-mount autoradiographic technique. Oestradiol target cells were localized in the caudal zone that corresponds to the so-called 'caudal lobe', while androgen target cells were found throughout the rostral and caudal lobes of the anterior pituitary gland. With a combined autoradiography and immunohistochemistry technique, most of the oestrogen target cells showed immunoreactivity to turkey LH antiserum but not to adrenocorticotrophin (1-24) and beta-thyrotrophin antisera. In contrast, androgen target cells did not show positive immunoreactivity to the three antisera used. The results suggested a direct and early involvement of oestrogens but not of androgens in the feedback regulation of pituitary gonadotrophin secretion in the chick embryo.
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D004967:Estrogens