1. THE PITUITARY GLAND
45
Fig. 19. AnguiZZu unguilk. Rostra1 pars distalis of normal eel. The predominant
pale cells are prolactin cells. The elongated well-granulated elements are TSH cells.
AF, XBOO.
protein granulation, again identifying these elements as thyrotrops
( Olivereau et al., 1964). Subtotal radiothyroidectomy of the goldfish
produced results in agreement with those in eel and trout, the 6 cells
becoming strongly activated (Olivereau, 1962b). Further work on the
goldfish (Cukrowski and Chavin, 1964) demonstrated that partial or total
radiothyroidectomy led to reduced thyroidal 1311 uptake and transformed
the granulated 6 cells into hypertrophied and hyperplastic chromophobes
with large nuclei and nucleoli.
Using in vitro techniques, Baker has extended and confirmed the identity of the TSH cells in eel and trout. When isolated from the hypothalamus in culture, trout 6 cells degranulate fairly rapidly and gradually assume an appearance of increased activity. The addition of thyroxine to
the culture medium specifically prevents this rapid loss of 6 granules
(see Figs. 7 and 8 ) and leads more slowly to regression of the cells,
which become smaller and exhibit nuclear and nucleolar atrophy (Baker,
1965a, 1967a). The eel delta cell in vitro degranulates more slowly and
maintains an appearance of activity; addition of thyroxine to the medium
from the start of culture results in nuclear atrophy. If trout glands are
45
Fig. 19. AnguiZZu unguilk. Rostra1 pars distalis of normal eel. The predominant
pale cells are prolactin cells. The elongated well-granulated elements are TSH cells.
AF, XBOO.
protein granulation, again identifying these elements as thyrotrops
( Olivereau et al., 1964). Subtotal radiothyroidectomy of the goldfish
produced results in agreement with those in eel and trout, the 6 cells
becoming strongly activated (Olivereau, 1962b). Further work on the
goldfish (Cukrowski and Chavin, 1964) demonstrated that partial or total
radiothyroidectomy led to reduced thyroidal 1311 uptake and transformed
the granulated 6 cells into hypertrophied and hyperplastic chromophobes
with large nuclei and nucleoli.
Using in vitro techniques, Baker has extended and confirmed the identity of the TSH cells in eel and trout. When isolated from the hypothalamus in culture, trout 6 cells degranulate fairly rapidly and gradually assume an appearance of increased activity. The addition of thyroxine to
the culture medium specifically prevents this rapid loss of 6 granules
(see Figs. 7 and 8 ) and leads more slowly to regression of the cells,
which become smaller and exhibit nuclear and nucleolar atrophy (Baker,
1965a, 1967a). The eel delta cell in vitro degranulates more slowly and
maintains an appearance of activity; addition of thyroxine to the medium
from the start of culture results in nuclear atrophy. If trout glands are