발생중인 태아 뇌하수체의 「호르몬」 분비세포에 관한 면역조직화학 및 전자현미경적 연구

Abstract

The hypophyses of human fetuses aged from 5 to 40 weeks were studied with the peroxidase-laheled antibody method and the electron microscope to investigate hormone secretory cells , and to ascertain the fine structural evidence for hormone synthesis. The pituitary gland excised were fixed in Bouins fluid and serial sections were made at 5p. Tissue sections were reacted with rabbit antisera to human growth hormone. prolactin. thyrotropin. and human chorionic gonadotropin respectively and then with peroxidase-labeled sheep anti-rabbit gamma globulin. followed by enzyme histochemical reaction. Observation were made under the light microscope. Some tissues were fixed in glutaraldehyde and osmium tetroxide. and stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate for electron microscopic observation. The results observed were summarized as follows. 1. Somatotrophs were detected first at 10 weeks. mammotrophs at 18 weeks , thyrotrophs and gonadotrophs at 12 weeks respectively. but no hormone secretory cells were identified before 10 weeks 2. Somatotrophs and mammotrophs were found throughout the the pars distalis and most numerous in the lateral regions. and gonadoptrophs and thyrotrophs appeared chiefly in the posteromedian zone and in its superior portion 3. Average numbers of hormone secretory cells and reacting intensities of the cytoplasmic granules generally increased with advancing fetal age. 4. Electron microscopic findings of secretory cells were the presence of distinct granules, extensive development of rough surfaced endoplasmic reti culum and signs of granular formation in Golgi complex. and these findings strongly suggest that fetal adenohypophysis was producing hormones during its development.