FUNCTIONAL DIFFERENTIATION OF FETAL ANTERIOR-PITUITARY CELLS IN RAT

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  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 10  (3) , 155-166
Abstract
The onset of hormone synthesis in the rat fetal pituitary gland was studied using the peroxidase labeled antibody method. On the 16th day of fetal life, cells containing immunoreactive ACTH appeared in the primordial cell outgrowth of Rathke''s pouch. In some fetuses prolactin cells could be detected at the same developmental stage and these cells were present consistently on subsequent days. Differentiation of ACTH and prolactin cells was followed by onset of TSH [thyrotropin], LH [luteinizing hormone] and GH [growth hormone] synthesis on the 17th, 18th and 19th day of gestation, respectively.