Immunogold studies on the gonadotropes in adenohypophysis of the Korean native goat

Immunogold법에 의한 한국재래산양 샘뇌하수체의 성샘자극세포에 관한 연구

There have been a number of studies of gonadotropes secreting LH and FSH in the adenohypophysis, but the pattern of hormone storage and secretion of these cells still remains a controversial matter. In this study, we examined whether gonadotropes contained both of LH and FSH, and if so, how these hormones were distributed within the secretory granules. Hypophyseal sections of Korean native goat were simultaneously immunostained for LH and FSH antisera by protein A-gold technique. It was found that most gonadotropes contained both FSH and LH, but hormone storages in the secretory granules were some different among cells. Three types of gonadotropes were identified by the shape and size of the secretory granules and their hormone storage patterns. One type(I) of gonadotropes contained oval secretory granules, which immunoreactivity for FSH and LH were very weak. The size of secretory granules ranged from 160 to 310nm in diameter. Most granules contained both FSH and LH, but some contained only one of them. In another type(II) of gonadotropes, the immunreactivity and hormone storage patterns of the secretory granules were similar to those of type I cells. However, the secretory granules were round in shape and larger in size than those of type I. The other gonadotropes(type III) were distinctly distinguished by plenty of hormones in their secretory granules which were densely packed with numerous immunolabelled gold particles. These data are some inconsistent with other results that have been obtained in other ruminants like as cattle and sheep.