Cosecretion of prolactin and growth hormone by dispersed pituitary cells of the adult bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana

Atsuko Oguchi, Tomomi Aida, Aya Koda, Seiji Shioda, Shigeo Nakajo, Tetsuya Kobayashi, Shigeyasu Tanaka, Kazutoshi Yamamoto, Sakaé Kikuyama*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    1 Citation (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The coexistence of prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) was previously demonstrated in newly hatched bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) tadpoles, whereas in adult bullfrogs, there were no cells containing both PRL and GH. However, a cell blot assay with enzymatically dispersed adult pituitary cells demonstrated the existence of cells secreting both PRL and GH. The number of cells secreting both PRL and GH was reduced by a protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide, but not by an RNA synthesis inhibitor, actinomycin D. In situ hybridization and immunostaining of intact pituitary glands revealed the existence of GH mRNA in some of the PRL-immunoreactive cells and of PRL mRNA in some of the GH-immunoreactive cells. We propose that dispersion of the pituitary cells triggered the translation of GH mRNA in the PRL cells and/or of PRL mRNA in the GH cells.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)10-16
    Number of pages7
    JournalGeneral and Comparative Endocrinology
    Volume122
    Issue number1
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2001

    Keywords

    • Bullfrog
    • Cosecretion
    • Dispersed pituitary cells
    • Growth hormone
    • Prolactin
    • Rana catesbeiana

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Endocrinology

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