Study of Rat Anterior Pituitary Cells Separated by Velocity Sedimentation at Unit Gravity

Abstract
Rat anterior pituitary cells were dissociated with Pronase and trypsin. Recovery of Pronase—dissociated cells ranged from 33 to 38% based on LH and protein assays. Cell viability was 97% as determined by uptake of trypan blue and eosin Y. The dissociated cells were separated into 7 fractions of different volumes by velocity sedimentation at unit gravity for 4 hr. Radioimmunoassay for LH, bioassay for FSH, and electron and light microscopy were used to assess the degree of cell separation. Gonadotropic cells were found primarily in combined fractions (CFr) 1 and 2. These 2 fractions, which had 7% of the total cells recovered, had over 58% of the total LH activity. CFr 4 consisted largely of GH cells while CFr 6 had mostly chromophobic cells. The dissociated cells showed an increased uptake of 3H glucosamine with time, and CFr 1 and 2 showed the highest uptake. These 2 fractions also produced a substantial amount of LH which was found in the culture medium during a 3–day incubation Endocrinologyperiod. ( 92: 1639, 1973)