Y. Manabe et al., Immunocytochemical and immunoelectron-microscopic study of somatotrophs inICR and nonobese diabetic mice, CELLS T ORG, 166(1), 2000, pp. 31-39
Somatotrophs (GH cells) were classified immunoelectron microscopically into
th ree types mainly on the basis of the size of secretory granules in the
mouse pituitary of ICR strain. Type I cells contained large secretory granu
les. Type II cells contained both large secretory granules and small secret
ory granules. Type III cells contained small secretory granules. All three
types of GH cells were found from the neonatal ages to adult. The relative
proportion of three types did not change with age, and no sex differences i
n the relative proportion of the cell types were detected. Type I cells pre
dominate in all age groups observed. In 60-day-old male mice percentages of
each type were as follows: type 1 93.7 +/- 0.1%, type II 5.4 +/- 0.8%, and
type III 0.9.0 +/- 0.4% (n = 5), and in 60-day-old female mice type I 95.2
+/- 0.1%, type II 2.7 +/- 0.5%, and type III 2.1 +/- 0.9% (n = 5). The max
imum diameters of the large secretory granules increased from 7 to 60 days
of age. The small secretory granules similarly increased in size in female
mice, but those in male mice did not change. In the diabetic female mice of
the nonobese diabetic (NOD) strains, GH cells in diabetic mice became smal
ler, and the number and size of secretory granules decreased, indicating di
minished GH secretion n. However, the relative proportion of each subtype o
f GH cells did not differ irrespective of the occurrence of diabetes. Copyr
ight (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.