title: Maintenance of the Extracellular Matrix in Rat Anterior Pituitary Gland: Identification of Cells Expressing Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases.
abstract: The extracellular matrix (ECM) is important in creating cellular environments in tissues. Recent studies have demonstrated that ECM components are localized in anterior pituitary cells and affect cell activity. Thus, clarifying the mechanism responsible for ECM maintenance would improve understanding of gland function. Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are endogenous inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases and participate in ECM degradation. In this study, we investigated whether cells expressing TIMPs are present in rat anterior pituitary gland. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze expression of the TIMP family (TIMP1-4), and cells producing TIMPs in the gland were identified by using in situ hybridization. Expression of TIMP1, TIMP2, and TIMP3 mRNAs was detected, and the TIMP-expressing cells were located in the gland. The TIMP-expressing cells were also investigated by means of double-staining with in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical techniques. Double-staining revealed that TIMP1 mRNA was expressed in folliculostellate cells. TIMP2 mRNA was detected in folliculostellate cells, prolactin cells, and thyroid-stimulating hormone cells. TIMP3 mRNA was identified in endothelial cells, pericytes, novel desmin-immunopositive perivascular cells, and folliculostellate cells. These findings indicate that TIMP1-, TIMP2-, and TIMP3-expressing cells are present in rat anterior pituitary gland and that they are involved in maintaining ECM components.
authors: Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine , Tochigi, Japan.
authors: Morio
authors: M
authors: Azuma
authors: Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine , Tochigi, Japan.
authors: Alimuddin
authors: A
authors: Tofrizal
authors: Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine , Tochigi, Japan.
authors: Rita
authors: R
authors: Maliza
authors: Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine , Tochigi, Japan.
authors: Khongorzul
authors: K
authors: Batchuluun
authors: Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine , Tochigi, Japan.
authors: Dini
authors: D
authors: Ramadhani
authors: Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine , Tochigi, Japan.
authors: Rahimi
authors: R
authors: Syaidah
authors: Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine , Tochigi, Japan.
authors: Takehiro
authors: T
authors: Tsukada
authors: Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine , Tochigi, Japan.
authors: Ken
authors: K
authors: Fujiwara
authors: Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan; Laboratory of Natural History, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan.
authors: Motoshi
authors: M
authors: Kikuchi
authors: Laboratory of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Department of Health Sciences, Kyorin University , Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Kotaro
authors: K
authors: Horiguchi
authors: Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine , Tochigi, Japan.
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Yashiro
keywords: anterior pituitary; extracellular matrix; immunohistochemistry; in situ hybridization; tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases