A morphometric study on the pars intermedia of the hypophysis during impairment of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in sodium depleted mice

Fine structural alterations were investigated in cells of the pars intermedia of the pituitary of mice treated for four weeks with (a) a sodium deficient diet, (b) a sodium deficient diet mixed with propranolol (renin-inhibitor), (c) a sodium deficient diet combined with propranolol and amino-glutethimide (corticosterone 18-hydroxylase inhibitor), and (d) a sodium deficient diet combined with propranolol, aminoglutethimide and dexamethasone. The number of secretory granules decreased from 5.0/mum2 in the normal control of 2.4/mum2 in all four experimental groups suggesting that the cells in treated groups had reached an equilibrium in the production and release of secretory granules during the chronic treatments. The number of immature Golgi granules per unit Golgi area was 0.91 in the control, while this value rose to 3.29 (3.62 fold of the control), 4.37 (4.8 fold), 4.94 (5.43 fold) and 5.16 (5.67 fold) respectively in the four experimental groups. In these groups a good correlation was observed between the number of immature granules and the percent volume of rough endoplasmic reticulum (r=0.985, p less than 0.01). The present study suggests that the pars intermedia contains an unidentified pituitary factor (or factors) essential for aldosterone biosynthesis.     

Intracellular acetylation of desacetyl αMSH in the xenopus laevis neurointermediate lobe

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) followed by radioimmunoassay (RIA) of the chromatographic fractions were used to separate and quantify, respectively, the αMSH-like peptides stored in the neurointermediate lobe (NIL) of the Xenopus laevis (X. laevis) pituitary gland and released from the X. laevis NIL, in vitro. Immunoreactive (IR) material eluting with a similar HPLC retention time as desacetyl αMSH was the major IR peptide in the NIL. Material with a retention time similar to αMSH and immunological properties equivalent to αMSH was also present in the NIL. However, the retention times of the X. laevis and mammalian αMSH-like peptides were not identical, suggesting species difference in these peptides. Following incubation of NILs in the presence of [³H]-acetyl CoA, the X. laevis variant of αMSH was the major [³H]-labeled, immunoprecipitable material present. Following an incubation of NILs in the presence of [³H]-amino acids for 21 hours, immunoprecipitable [³H]-αMSH was detected in the NILs and the ratio of [³H]-desacetyl αMSH to [³H]-αMSH was similar to the ratio of IR-desacetyl αMSH to IR-αMSH. The X. laevis variant of αMSH was the major αMSH-like peptide released from the NILs into the incubation medium. Dopamine (50 μM) significantly inhibited the release of IR-αMSH but not IR-desacetyl αMSH. No net increase in total αMSH (sum of release and NIL content) was observed in the actively secreting (control) NIL group versus the dopaminetreated group. These results indicate that acetylation of desacetyl αMSH occurs intracellularly.     

Etude du lobe intermédiaire de l'hypophyse chez la souris normale et thyroïdectomisée: Volumétrie,histologie et incorporation de divers éléments radioactifs

Résumé Après radiothyroïdectomie chez la souris, l'augmentation volumétrique du lobe intermédiaire, son aspect cytologique, l'incorporation importante de ³H-Méthionine et de ³⁵SO₄Na₂ par ses cellules, plaident en faveur d'une hyperactivité sécrétrice et excrétrice parallèle à celle du métabolisme thyréotrope du lobe antérieur.

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Study of the pars intermedia of the hypophysis in normal and thyroidectomized mice: Volumetry, histology and incorporation of various radioactive elements

Summary After radiothyroidectomy in the mouse, the volumetric increase of the intermediate lobe, its cytological aspect, the considerable incorporation of ³H-Methionine and ³⁵SO₄Na₂ by its cells, speak in favour of a secretory and excretory hyperactivity paralleling the anterior lobe's thyreotrope metabolism.

Abréviations utilisées: LA Lobe antérieur de l'hypophyse. LI Lobe intermédiaire. LN Lobe nerveux. NSO Noyau supra-optique de l'hypothalamus. PAS Periodic acid Schiff. BA Bleu Alcian. AF Aldéhyde fuchsine.     

Etude au microscope électronique de la neurohypophyse de Rana esculenta L.

Résumé L'éminence médiane et la pars nervosa de Rana esculenta diffèrent du point de vue de leur structure.L'éminence médiane se compose de 2 zones différentes: la zone externe placée près du lobe distal et la zone interne située sous l'épendyme. Dans la zone externe, on distingue, d'après la taille et la forme des grains de sécrétion, 5 types de terminaisons.1. des terminaisons avec de fins granules sphériques denses de 800 à 1000 Å de diamètre; 2. des terminaisons avec des granules de 1000 à 1200 Å de diamètre; 3. des terminaisons avec des grains de forme irrégulière de diamètre supérieur aux précédents (1200 à 1600 Å); 4. des terminaisons avec de volumineux grains denses sphériques d'environ 1200 à 1800 Å de diamètre; 5. un petit nombre de terminaisons ne contenant que des vésicules. Les terminaisons des catégories 3 et 4 sont probablement du type neurosécrétoire.La zone interne contient de nombreuses fibres neurosécrétrices. Elles sont de 2 types, l'une avec de gros granules (1600–2400 Å), l'autre avec des granules moins volumineux (1300–2000 Å). Des fibres non neurosécrétrices ont également été observées.Dans la pars nervosa, on rencontre deux types principaux de fibres neurosécrétrices, l'une avec des grains denses de 1600 à 2400 Å de diamètre, l'autre avec des grains moins denses d'environ 1300 à 2000 Å de diamètre. Dans la zone externe bordant la pars intermedia des fibres aminergiques avec de fines granulations ont été observées.

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Electron microscopic study of the neurohypophysis of Rana esculenta L.

Summary The median eminence and the pars nervosa of Rana esculenta have a different structure.The median eminence has 2 different zones: the outer zone situated near the pars distalis and the inner zone under the ependyme. In the outer zone there are, according to the size and the shape of the granules, 5 types of nerve terminals.1. Endings containing spherical fine dense granules of 800 to 1000 Å in diameter; 2. Endings with spherical granules from 1000 to 1200 Å in diameter; 3. Endings with granules of irregular shape which are bigger than the former (1200 to 1600 Å); 4. Endings with spherical dense granules of about 1200 to 1800 Å in diameter; 5. A few endings containing only clear vesicles. Type 3 and type 4 endings are probably neurosecretory.The inner zone contains numerous neurosecretory fibres. They are of two types: one with big granules (1600–2400 Å), the second with smaller granules (1300–2000 Å). Non-neurosecretory fibres have also been observed.The pars nervosa contains two principal types of neurosecretory fibres: one with dense granules of 1600 to 2400 Å in diameter, the other with lighter granules of about 1300 to 2000 Å. In the external zone lining the pars intermedia, aminergic fibres with fine granules have been observed.

Je tiens à exprimer mes vifs remerciements, à Monsieur le Professeur E. Follenius pour l'intérêt constant qu'il prend à ce travail. Je remercie également Madame R. O. Clauss, collaboratrice technique et Madame Schwoerer, photographe, pour leur aide précieuse.     

Influence of host deprivation on egg load and oviposition behaviour of Brachymeria intermedia, a parasitoid of gypsy moth

Abstract. Mated female Brachymeria intermedia (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) deprived, since emergence, from pupae of their host Lymantria dispar (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), accumulated eggs but had a very low rate of hostacceptance. Parasitoids that were host-deprived after encountering pupae early in life also accumulated eggs, but maintained a high acceptance rate. Thus early exposure to hosts promoted active reproductive behaviour. Total egg production depended on the total number of pupae encountered, indicating that B.intermedia adjust their egg production to host availability. Hence, in B. intermedia both the physiological state of the parasitoid (age and egg load) and the informational state (in this case host-availability and experience) interact to shape oviposition behaviour.     

Intracellular acetylation of desacetyl alpha MSH in the Xenopus laevis neurointermediate lobe

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) followed by radioimmunoassay (RIA) of the chromatographic fractions were used to separate and quantify, respectively, the alpha MSH-like peptides stored in the neurointermediate lobe (NIL) of the Xenopus laevis (X. laevis) pituitary gland and released from the X. laevis NIL, in vitro. Immunoreactive (IR) material eluting with a similar HPLC retention time as desacetyl alpha MSH was the major IR peptide in the NIL. Material with a retention time similar to alpha MSH and immunological properties equivalent to alpha MSH was also present in the NIL. However, the retention times of the X. laevis and mammalian alpha MSH-like peptides were not identical, suggesting species difference in these peptides. Following incubation of NILs in the presence of [3H]-acetyl CoA, the X. laevis variant of alpha MSH was the major [3H]-labeled, immunoprecipitable material present. Following an incubation of NILs in the presence of [3H]-amino acids for 21 hours, immunoprecipitable [3H]-alpha MSH was detected in the NILs and the ratio of [3H]-desacetyl alpha MSH to [3H]-alpha MSH was similar to the ratio of IR-desacetyl alpha MSH to IR-alpha MSH. The X. laevis variant of alpha MSH was the major alpha MSH-like peptide released from the NILs into the incubation medium. Dopamine (50 microM) significantly inhibited the release of IR-alpha MSH but not IR-desacetyl alpha MSH. No net increase in total alpha MSH (sum of release and NIL content) was observed in the actively secreting (control) NIL group versus the dopamine-treated group. These results indicate that acetylation of desacetyl alpha MSH occurs intracellularly.