Immunocytochemical localization of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone in the equine pituitary.
Abstract: Gonadotropin-specific primary antisera and gold-conjugated secondary antibodies were used to immunocytochemically localize gonadotropins in the anterior pituitary of intact pony mares. Electron microscopy was then used to characterize the ultrastructure and immunoreactive staining characteristics of equine gonadotropes. Cells containing LH were morphologically indistinguishable from those containing FSH. Gonadotropes were relatively large and commonly had eccentric nuclei. The rough endoplasmic reticulum was well developed and dilated. Secretory granules were present in two morphologically distinct forms. Large polymorphic granules were generally located in perinuclear cytoplasmic areas, whereas small and uniformly shaped granules were in the peripheral cytoplasm, close to the cell membrane. Double-labeling revealed cells with granules that stained for both LH and FSH as well as cells that stained for either LH or FSH. Gonadotropes constituted 15 to 32% of all pituitary cells in the anterior pituitaries from the three mares included in this study. Cells that stained for only LH constituted 2 to 16% of all pituitary cells, cells that stained for only FSH ranged from 1 to 4.5%, and cells staining for both hormones constituted 6.2 to 24% of the pituitary cells. These results indicate that there are in fact three distinct subclasses of gonadotropes in the equine anterior pituitary based on immunocytochemical staining, which is similar to the situation described for several other mammalian species.
Publication Date: 1998-04-16 PubMed ID: 9535345DOI: 10.2527/1998.763839xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research investigated the localization and structure of hormones luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in the pituitary gland of ponies, concluding that there are three subclasses of gonadotropes based on their immunocytochemical staining.
Methodological Approach
- The research utilized gonadotropin-specific primary antisera and gold-conjugated secondary antibodies for the immunocytochemical localization of the two hormones in the anterior pituitary of intact pony mares.
- Further, electron microscopy was employed to characterize the ultrastructure of gonadotropes, which are cells that release LH and FSH, and their immunoreactive staining characteristics.
Findings on Gonadotropins’ Structure and Localization
- It was found that cells containing LH were morphologically similar to those containing FSH.
- Gonadotropes were observed to be relatively large, often with eccentric nuclei. The rough endoplasmic reticulum, a cellular organelle involved in protein synthesis, was well developed within these cells, and often dilated.
- The secretory granules exhibited two different morphological forms. Larger, polymorphic granules were found generally in perinuclear cytoplasmic areas, while small and uniform granules were situated near the cell membrane in the peripheral cytoplasm.
Findings on Double-Labeling
- Double-labeling was used to identify cells containing granules of both LH and FSH, as well as those that contained only one of these hormones.
- The study found that gonadotropes constituted between 15 to 32% of all pituitary cells in the ponies. Those staining exclusively for LH were 2 to 16% of the total, those staining exclusively for FSH made up 1 to 4.5%, while cells staining with both hormones made up 6.2 to 24% of the pituitary cells.
Conclusions
- The predominant finding of this research was that there are three distinct subclasses of gonadotropes in the anterior pituitary of equine species, based on their immunocytochemical staining.
- This indicates a similar scenario as stated for several other mammalian species, suggesting a universal model of hormone organisation in mammalian pituitaries.
Cite This Article
APA
Rahmanian MS, Thompson DL, Melrose PA.
(1998).
Immunocytochemical localization of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone in the equine pituitary.
J Anim Sci, 76(3), 839-846.
https://doi.org/10.2527/1998.763839x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal Science, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge 70803, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cytoplasmic Granules / ultrastructure
- Female
- Follicle Stimulating Hormone / analysis
- Horses
- Immunohistochemistry
- Luteinizing Hormone / analysis
- Microscopy, Immunoelectron
- Pituitary Gland, Anterior / cytology
- Pituitary Gland, Anterior / ultrastructure
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Hollander-Cohen L, Golan M, Levavi-Sivan B. Differential Regulation of Gonadotropins as Revealed by Transcriptomes of Distinct LH and FSH Cells of Fish Pituitary. Int J Mol Sci 2021 Jun 17;22(12).
- Cohen L, Bousfield GR, Ben-Menahem D. The recombinant equine LHβ subunit combines divergent intracellular traits of human LHβ and CGβ subunits. Theriogenology 2015 Jun;83(9):1469-76.
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