title: Immunohistochemical localization of anterior pituitary hormones in S-100 protein-positive cells in the rat pituitary gland.
abstract: In the anterior and intermediate lobes of the rat pituitary gland, non-hormone-producing cells that express S-100 protein coexist with various types of hormone-producing cells and are believed to function as phagocytes, supporting and paracrine-controlling cells of hormone-producing cells and stem cells, among other functions; however, their cytological characteristics are not yet fully understood. Using a transgenic rat that expresses green fluorescent protein under the promoter of the S100β protein gene, we immunohistochemically detected expression of the luteinizing hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, prolactin, growth hormone and proopiomelanocortin by S-100 protein-positive cells located between clusters of hormone-producing cells in the intermediate lobe. These findings lend support to the hypothesis that S-100 protein-positive cells are capable of differentiating into hormone-producing cells in the adult rat pituitary gland.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Education, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, Shimotsuke-shi, Tochigi, Japan. kikuchim@jichi.ac.jp
authors.forename: Motoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Megumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yatabe
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tando
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yashiro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D037101:Luteinizing Hormone, beta Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior / Q000378:metabolism*; D021381:Protein Transport; D051381:Rats; D055647:Rats, Transgenic; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D037101:Luteinizing Hormone, beta Subunit; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins