Changes in thyrotroph and somatotroph cell populations induced by stimulation and inhibition of their secretory activity

Abstract

The populations of cells which produce immunoreactive growth hormone (GH) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in the rat pituitary gland do not occur in fixed percentages but vary greatly under different physiological and experimental conditions. These variations can be directly correlated to the levels of stimulation and/or inhibition of the specific secretory activity. In both types of cell, sustained stimulation with trophic hormones or blockage of the feedback mechanisms induces remarkable growth in the specific cell population. Conversely, the interruption or inhibition of the stimulus thwarted the hormonal secretion and caused a massive degeneration of redundant cells. The stimulation of both GH and TSH cells is accompanied by an enhanced secretory activity as judged by their higher concentrations in serum and hypertrophy of the cytoplasmic organelles involved in synthesis and intracellular processing of the hormones. By contrast, interruption of the stimulus is followed by a variable degree of disruption of the cytoplasmic organization, including a sizable degeneration of cells. In stimulated rats, the concentrations of both GH and TSH decreased significantly in pituitary tissue due to mobilization of the hormonal stores contained in secretory granules. On the other hand, the withdrawal of stimuli blocked the hormonal release; this is reflected by the accumulation of both hormones and secretory granules in pituitary tissue. The strict correlation between the size of the GH and TSH populations with stimulation and inhibition of hormonal secretory activity reported in this investigation further supports the critical role played by the cell renewal process in endocrine secretion.