ANTERIOR-PITUITARY-CELLS - GETTING TO KNOW THEIR NEIGHBORS

We review in this article recent findings on the effects of cell proxi mity (nearness to each other) on anterior pituitary cell function in v itro. Important cellular processes, including protein synthesis, basal hormone release, response to hypothalamic regulatory factors and sign al transduction can change as a function of the distance between adjac ent cells. These findings, together with a growing body of evidence on intrapituitary intercellular interactions, form a basis for proposing a model of anterior pituitary cell regulation. In this scheme extrapi tuitary, intracellular and intercellular signaling pathways all contri bute and interact to control secretory processes in cells.