Quantitative analysis of ACTH-immunoreactive cells in the anterior pituitary of young spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive rats |
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Authors: | Dr. A. Häusler M. Oberholzer J. B. Baumann J. Girard P. U. Heitz |
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Affiliation: | (1) Children's Hospital, Department of Research, Kantonsspital, Basel, Switzerland;(2) Department of Pathology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland;(3) K-125.8.12, Ciba-Geigy Ltd., CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland;(4) Present address: Ciba-Geigy Ltd., CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland |
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Abstract: | Summary ACTH-immunoreactive cells in the anterior pituitary of 4-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were studied with immunocytochemical and morphometric techniques. The results were compared with data from age-matched normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). No significant differences were found in volume density and average size of ACTH-immunoreactive cells between these two strains. However, SHR showed a significantly larger anterior lobe (2 P < 0.01) than WKY, indicating that the total number of ACTH-immunoreactive cells in the anterior pituitary is greater in SHR than in WKY. These data are in agreement with radioimmunological determinations showing a significantly elevated content (2 P < 0.01) but only a moderately higher concentration (0.05 < 2 P < 0.10) of ACTH in the anterior pituitary of SHR as compared to WKY. The present results suggest an enhanced availability of ACTH in the anterior pituitary of 4-week-old SHR, a fact which could explain the markedly enhanced stress-induced release of ACTH previously found in these animals. This study further supports the hypothesis that, among other factors, an instability of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis may contribute to the development of genetically programmed hypertension. |
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Keywords: | ACTH cells Immunocytochemistry Morphometry Spontaneous hypertension |
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