Summary
The cellular pathology and postnatal differentiation of somatotrophs and mammotrophs in the pars distalis oflittle (lit/lit) and normal (+ /+;lit/+) mice were studied by means of electron microscopy. The results indicate that inlittle the pituitary at birth contains recognizable somatotrophs and mammotrophs; however, between 14 and 24 days of age a contrast betweenlittle and normal becomes conspicuous with respect to the somatotrophs.Little somatotrophs are less heavily populated with granules, have granules of smaller size, and show less developed organelles than do normal somatotrophs at comparable stages. Beyond 24 days thelittle somatotrophs become more difficult to locate, and those that do occur show a minimal increase in complexity from that present at 14 days. In contrast, the mammotrophs inlittle are similar in appearance to normal mammotrophs and show increasing complexity as development proceeds, often sending forth cellular processes between neighboring cells, as do normal mammotrophs.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barnes BG (1963) The fine sturcture of the mouse adenohypophysis in various physiological states. In: Benoit J, DaLage C (eds) Cytologie de l’adénohypophyse. CNRS, Paris, pp 91–109
Beamer WG, Eicher EM (1976) Stimulation of growth in the little mouse. J Endocrinol 71: 37–45
Eicher EM, Beamer WG (1976) Inherited ateliotic dwarfism in mice. Heredity 67: 87–91
Furth J, Chlifton KH (1966) Experimental pituitary tumors. In: Harris GW, Donovan BT (eds) The pituitary gland, vol 2. Univ Calif. Press, Berkeley, pp 460–497
Furth J, Ueda G, Clifton KH (1973) The pathophysiology of pituitaries and their tumors: methological advances. In: Busch H (ed) Methods of cancer research, vol X, chapt VIII. Academic Press, New York, pp 301–277
Gomez-Dumm LA, Echave-Llanos JM (1972) Further studies on the ultrastructure of the pars distalis of the male mouse hypophysis. Acta Anat 82: 254–266
Herlant M (1963) Apport de la microscopie électronique à l’étude du lobe antérieur de l’hypophyse. In: Benoit J, DaLage C (eds) Cytologie de l’adénohypophyse. CNRS, Paris, pp 73–94
Horvath E, Kovacs K, Killinger DW, Smythe HS, Platts ME, Weiss MS, Ezrin C (1980) Mammosomatotroph cell adenoma of the human pituitary. Proc Elect Mic Soc Am 38: 726–727
Keough EM, Wood BG (1979) Mammary gland development during pregnancy in the dwarf mouse mutant, little. Tissue Cell 11: 773–780
Parsons JA, Erlandsen SL, DeBault LE (1974) Identification of prolactin cells in a mammosomatotropic tumor by the unlabeled-antibody peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 145: 524–527
Parsons JA, Erlandsen SL, Carpenter AM, DeBault LE (1978) Heterogeneity of the MtTW15 mammosomatotropic tumor. I. Light microscopic evaluation of cell types by means of immunocytochemistry, morphometric quantitation, fluorescence cytophotometry, and radioimmunoassay. Anat Rec 190: 719–734
Parsons JA, Baskin DG, Erlandsen SL (1980) Heterogeneity of the MtTW15 mammosomatotropic tumor. II. Characterization of parenchymal cells by superimposition immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy. Anat Rec 196: 301–311
Rimoin DL, Schimke RN (1971) Anterior pituitary. Genetic disorders of the endocrine glands. LV Mosby Co, St. Louis, pp 11–65
Sano M (1962) Further studies on the theta cell of the mouse anterior pituitary as revealed by electron microscopy, with special reference to the mode of secretion. J Cell Biol 15: 85–97
Wilson DB, Christensen E (1980) Postnatal development of somatotrophs and mammotrophs in the pars distalis of the C57BL mouse. Cell Tiss Res 211: 411–448
Wilson DB Christensen E (1981) The fine structure of somatotrophs and mammotrophs during development of the dwarf (dw) mutant mouse. J Anat (in press)
Yamada K, Sano M (1960) Electron microscopic observations of the anterior pituitary of the mouse. Okajimas Folia Anat Jap 34: 449–475
Yamashita K (1969) Electron microscopic observations on the postnatal development of the anterior pituitary of the mouse. Gunma Symp Endocrinol 6: 177–196
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported by NIH grant no. HD12308 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, USPHS
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Christensen, E., Wilson, D.B. Fine structure of somatotrophs and mammotrophs in the pituitary pars distalis of the little (lit) mutant mouse. Virchows Archiv B Cell Pathol 37, 89–96 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02892558
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02892558