Surface morphology and secretory activity of rat anterior pituitary cells in primary culture

Abstract

So far, there has been no report concerning the surface morphology of cultured secretory cells in different states of activity, as observed by scanning electron microscopy. The anterior pituitary cells in monolayer culture offer an unique system to study the modifications of cell conformation in relation with changes of activity since these cells can be specifically modulated by stimulating or inhibiting factors. Scanning electron microscopy of anterior pituitary cells in primary culture was thus performed in different states of secretory activity. Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats at random stage of the estrous cycle, were used for the preparation of the primary cultures of anterior pituitary cells as previously described (Endocrinology 98: 1528, 1976). The cells 7. 5 x 105 in 1. 5 ml of Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing 10% horse serum and 0. 25% foetal calf serum were plated in 3. 5 x 10 mm Petri dishes and were used six days after plating.