Laminin isoforms and laminin-producing cells in rat anterior pituitary

Laminin is a key component of the basement membrane and is involved in the structural scaffold and in cell proliferation and differentiation. Research has identified 19 laminin isoforms, which are assemblies of α, β, and γ chains (eg, the α1, β1, and γ1 chains form the laminin 111 isoform). Although laminin is known to be present in the anterior pituitary, the specific laminin isoforms have not been identified. This study used molecular biological and histochemical techniques-namely, RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization-to identify the laminin isoforms and laminin-producing cells in rat anterior pituitary. RT-PCR showed that laminin α1, α3, and α4 genes were expressed in anterior pituitary. Immunohistochemistry revealed laminin α1 in gonadotrophs and laminin α4 in almost all vascular endothelial cells. Laminin α3 was seen in a subset of vascular endothelial cells. We then performed in situ hybridization to localize β and γ chains in these cells and found that laminin β1, β2, and γ1 were expressed in gonadotrophs and that laminin β1 and γ1 were expressed in endothelial cells. In conclusion, we identified gonadotroph-type (laminin 111 and 121) and vascular-type (laminin 411 and 311) laminin isoforms in rat anterior pituitary.

Live staining and isolation of specific hormone-producing cells from rat anterior pituitary by cytochemistry with lectins and cholera toxin B subunit

Anterior pituitary glands contain five types of hormone-producing cells. Distinguishing and isolating specific types of living cells are essential for studying their function. Although many such attempts have been made, the results have been disappointing. In the present study, we labeled specific types of living hormone-producing cells by using potential differences in sugar chains on the cell surfaces. Cytochemical analysis with lectins and cholera toxin B subunit revealed that PNA, S-WGA, and cholera toxin B subunit recognized sugar chains specific to prolactin cells, ACTH cells, and GH cells, respectively, and that UEA-I recognized most of prolactin cells and GH cells. Next, fluorescence-activated cell sorting was used to isolate GH cells labeled by fluoresceinated cholera toxin B. The purity of the GH cell fraction estimated by immunocytochemistry and quantitative real-time PCR for cell type-specific genes was more than 98%, which was higher than that reported in earlier studies, including those using transgenic animals. We conclude that cytochemistry with lectins and cholera toxin B subunit is a straightforward, acceptable method of isolating specific types of anterior pituitary cells and that the cells isolated by this method can serve as useful materials in the study of anterior pituitary cells.