Scanning Electron Microscopy of Rat Neurointermediate Lobe Cells in Culture

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Abstract
Enzymatically dispersed cells of the rat pars nervosa – pars intermedia (NI) were observed by scanning electron microscopy after 1, 2 and 4 days in culture. The cells attached to the plate slowly, requiring about 3–4 days for the majority to adhere. The epithelial cells became attached singly and in clumps and branched chains, often over a bed of fibroblast-like cells. After the first day in culture, few surface features were evident on the NI cells, but by day 2, the surfaces showed a small number of blebs. In 4-day cultures, the cells revealed extensive areas with blebs and microvilli, and a few structures resembling cilia were observed. The adrenocorticotrophic hormone content of the cells after 4 days in culture was similar to that found in fresh tissue.