Angiotensin II increases intracellular Ca2+ concentration in folliculo-stellate cells of the rat anterior pituitary in primary culture

It has been reported that pituitary gonadotrophs and lactotrophs contain an giotensin II (Ang II) and suggested that Ang II modulates hormone secretion from endocrine cells of the anterior pituitary through paracrine mechanism among the endocrine cells. However, there has been no report on the effect of Ang II on the folliculo-stellate cells (FSC) which are thought to play a regulatory role in the release of hormones from pituitary endocrine cells . We, therefore, examined the effect of Ang II on FCS in primary culture by Ca2+ imaging technique. Certain proportion (42%) of FSC responded to 100 n M Ang II by increasing [Ca2+](i). In addition, Ang II elicited the Ca2+ res ponse in about 50% of the pituitary endocrine cells. The results indicate t hat Ang II functions as a paracrine factor among pituitary cells including FSC. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.