Analysis of paracrine regulation of endocrine gland function

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The anterior pituitary gland cells produce and secrete at least five kinds of hormones which are important for the regulation of growth, metabolism, reproduction and immunity. It is well known that the anterior pituitary glandular cells are regulated by hypothalamic factors. The anterior pituitary glandular cells also respond to some physiological changes such as the estrogen treatment and castration etc. and undergo hypertrophy and hyperplasia. These later dynamic changes of the anterior pituitary gland cells however can not be explained solely by hypothalamic factors. It has been postulated the paracrine regulation may be important for the regulation of the secretory cells. The folliculo-stellate cells which surround neighboring secretory cells with their long cytoplasmic processes are considered as the most important cells for the pracrine regulation of the glandular cells. In this research we found that the FS cells produce IL-8 and macrophage colony stimulating factors under the regulation of a hypotharamic factor, PACAP.The production of these cytokines was significantly increased by the stimulation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS also stimulates the secretion of prolactin cramatically. These results suggest that the cytokines, which are known as the signals of the immune system, are controled to some degree by hormone-secreting pituitary cells through paracrine regulation.