The expansion of adult stem/progenitor cells and their marker expression fluctuations are linked with pituitary plastic adaptation during gestation and lactancy.
Extensive evidence has revealed variations in the number of hormone-producing cells in the pituitary gland, which occur under physiological conditions such as gestation and lactancy. It has been proposed that new hormone-producing cells differentiate from stem cells. However, exactly how and when this takes place is not clear. In this work, we used immunoelectron microscopy to identify adult pituitary stem/progenitor cells (SC/P) localized in the marginal zone (MZ), and additionally, we detected GFRa2-, Sox2-, and Sox9-positive cells in the adenoparenchyma (AP) by fluorescence microscopy. Then, we evaluated fluctuations of SC/P mRNA and protein level markers in MZ and AP during gestation and lactancy. An upregulation in stemness markers was shown at term of gestation (AT) in MZ, whereas there were more progenitor cell markers in the middle of gestation and active lactancy. Concerning committed cell markers, we detected a rise in AP at beginning of lactancy (d1L). We performed a BrdU uptake analysis in MZ and AP cells. The highest level of BrdU uptake was observed in MZ AT cells, whereas in AP this was detected in d1L, followed by a decrease in both the MZ and AP. Finally, we detected double immunostaining for BrdU-GFRa2 in MZ AT cells and BrdU-Sox9 in the AP d1L cells. Taken together, we hypothesize that the expansion of the SC/P niche took place mainly in MZ from pituitary rats in AT and d1L. These results suggest that the SC niche actively participates in pituitary plasticity during these reproductive states, contributing to the origin of hormone cell populations.
Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre Esq. Enrique Barros, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, Argentina; and.
Alicia Maldré
AM
Vaca
Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre Esq. Enrique Barros, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, Argentina; and.
Carolina Beatriz
CB
Guido
Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre Esq. Enrique Barros, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, Argentina; and.
Liliana Del Valle
Ldel V
Sosa
Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre y Medina Allende, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, Argentina.
Juan Pablo
JP
Nicola
Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre Esq. Enrique Barros, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, Argentina; and.
Jorge
J
Mukdsi
Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre Esq. Enrique Barros, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, Argentina; and.
Juan Pablo
JP
Petiti
Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre Esq. Enrique Barros, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, Argentina; and atorres@cmefcm.uncor.edu.
Alicia Ines
AI
Torres
D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D000066670:Cell Plasticity; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism*; D061346:Laser Capture Microdissection; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D055758:SOX9 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050817:Transcription Factor Pit-1 / Q000235:genetics
C494992:Gfra2 protein, rat; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; C102134:Prophet of Pit-1 protein; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D055758:SOX9 Transcription Factor; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors; C527784:Sox2 protein, rat; D050817:Transcription Factor Pit-1
gestation; lactancy; marginal zone; pituitary gland; stem cell/progenitor markers