Open AccessProliferation of glial cells induced by lithium in the neural lobe of the rat pituitary is enhanced by dehydration
Author(s) -
Levine S.,
Saltzman A.,
Katof B.,
Meister A.,
Cooper T. B.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
cell proliferation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.647
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1365-2184
pISSN - 0960-7722
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2184.2002.00235.x
Subject(s) - mitosis , lithium (medication) , lithium chloride , endocrinology , medicine , isotonic , chemistry , pituitary gland , biology , potassium , microbiology and biotechnology , homeostasis , sodium , hormone , organic chemistry
. Rats dehydrated by 6 days of water deprivation had a low level of mitotic activity in the astrocytes (‘pituicytes’) of the neural lobe of the pituitary. Mitotic activity in the pituicytes was greatly increased when isotonic lithium was administered in the last 3 days of water deprivation. Rehydration on the last day of the experiment produced a further increase in mitoses. Isotonic solutions of sodium, potassium or rubidium chloride did not increase mitoses. This model of cell proliferation is of interest because the mitotic activity is related to a physiological attempt to maintain homeostasis rather than a response to injury or the development of neoplasia.