MORPHOMETRIC EVIDENCE OF THE REGULATION OF THE ACTIVITY OF LH-IMMUNOREACTIVE CELLS BY CORTICOSTERONE - AN IN-VIVO AND IN-VITRO STUDY

The present study was performed to investigate the morphometric effect s of the administration of corticosterone on LH-immunoreactive cells o f pituitary monolayer cultures. In addition, the effect of bilateral a drenalectomy on the LH-adenohypophyseal cells was explored. In vitro a dministration of corticosterone induced a marked decrease in the morph ometric parameters considered (cellular, cytoplasmic and nuclear areas ). In vivo, bilateral adrenalectomy produced a significant increase in these parameters when compared to those obtained in normal and sham-o perated animals. However, when the bilaterally adrenalectomized rats r eceived a daily dose of corticosterone no significant changes in the m orphometric parameters were found. Morphometrically, these combined in vivo-in vitro findings confirm a corticosterone-induced hypoactivity of LH-cells together with a direct effect of this glucocorticoid on LH -adenohypophyseal cells.