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The Calcium‐sensitive Cells of the Pars Intermedia in the Eel
Author(s) -
Olivereau Madeleine,
Olivereau Jacqueline
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
acta zoologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.414
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1463-6395
pISSN - 0001-7272
DOI - 10.1111/j.1463-6395.1982.tb00772.x
Subject(s) - pars intermedia , calcium , stimulation , endocrinology , medicine , biology , prolactin , atrophy , pituitary gland , chemistry , hormone
In the pituitary, the PAS‐positive calcium‐sensitive (Ca‐s) cells of the pars intermedia appear less active in seawater (SW)‐ than in freshwater (FW)‐adapted eels. The kinetics of their response during adaptation to SW or readaptation to FW was investigated. Morphometric studies show that transfer to SW induces a rapid nuclear atrophy which accentuates in eels kept for several weeks in SW. Readaptation to FW stimulated the Ca‐s cells after 2–10 days; after 1 or 2 months, the cells tend to be similar to those of eels kept in FW. Plasma calcium decreases slightly but significantly in SW eels. The response of the Ca‐s cells is not modified by an ovine prolactin treatment inducing hypercalcemia, hypernatremia and stimulation of the corpuscles of Stannius. Minor changes occurring in the MSH cells remain difficult to interpret; the short stimulation during readaptation to FW may be related to a stress effect and/or to release of other peptides present in the MSH cells of fish.