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Regulation of GFAP expression in glial‐like cells of the rat pituitary intermediate lobe by lactation, salt‐loading, and adrenalectomy
Author(s) -
Gary Keith A.,
Chronwall Bibie M.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
glia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.954
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1098-1136
pISSN - 0894-1491
DOI - 10.1002/glia.440130404
Subject(s) - glial fibrillary acidic protein , biology , immunocytochemistry , gfap stain , endocrinology , population , medicine , neuroglia , adrenalectomy , immunohistochemistry , central nervous system , immunology , demography , sociology
Glial‐like cells in rat pituitary intermediate lobe were localized and characterized by immunohistochemistry with antisera against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and S‐100. Individual GFAP immunoreactive (IR) cells possessed several processes that often branched into secondary and tertiary processes, terminating with end‐feet. The GFAP‐immunopositive cell population was distributed in specific rostrocaudal and dorsoventral patterns. The distribution and numbers of cells differed between male and female rats. Examination of altered physiological states, e.g., adrenalectomy, lactation, and salt‐loading, revealed state‐specific changes in the appearance and distribution of GFAP‐IR cells. Adrenalectomy and lactation increased GFAP‐IR glial‐like cell numbers, whereas salt‐loading decreased their numbers and the typical pattern of distribution. By contrast, S‐100–expressing cells were evenly distributed in male and female rats, and its expression was not affected by the experimental conditions. Double‐label immunocytochemistry indicated that GFAP‐IR cells are a subpopulation of S‐100‐IR cells. These results suggest that cells normally expressing only S‐100 may be induced to express GFAP under altered physiologic conditions. Copy 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.