Immunohistochemical studies on somatotropes and mammotropes in hypophysis of Korean native goat

한국재래산양 뇌하수체의 성장자극세포 및 젖샘자극세포에 관한 면역조직화학적 연구

The localizations and morphological characteristics of immunoreactive cells for prolactin(PRL) and growth hormone(GH) antisera were studied with double immunohistochemistry in the adenohypophysis of the Korean native goat. PRL immunoreactive cells(mammotropes) and GH immunoreactive cells(somatotropes) were present in the pars distalis and pars tuberalis, but not in the pars intermedia. A few cells were stained with both PRL and GH antisera (somatomammotropes). The possessional percentages of mammotropes, somatotropes and somatomammotropes were 37.0%, 32.6%, 1.0% in females and 35.6%, 32.6%, 1.1% in males, respectively. Mammotropes were oval or round in shape, and $10{\sim}20{\mu}m{\times}17{\sim}25{\mu}m$ in size. These cells were distributed throughout the pars distalis, but were more abundant on the dorsal part adjacent to the hypophyseal cavity and along the lateral and ventral peripheral regions. Somatotropes were elliptical, triangular or polygonal in shape, and $8{\sim}17{\mu}m{\times}17{\sim}18{\mu}m$ in size. The distribution pattern of somatotropes was similar to that of mammotropes. Some somatomammotropes were intercalated between clusters of mammotropes while the others were dispersed independently among the secretory cells.