Identification and functional analysis of folliculostellate cell-produced humoral factors in the anterior pituitary gland

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The anterior pituitary gland produces six types of hormones, which are crucial to control growth, reproduction, and homeostasis. A non-hormone-producing cell, folliculostellate cell, is also known to exist in the gland. The purpose of this study is to clarify the function of folliculostellate cell in the anterior pituitary gland. Folliculostellate cells were purified by fluorescence activated cell sorting from the green fluorescent protein-transgenic rats and numerous genes that were specifically expressed in the cells were identified. And then, specific growth factors were identified in folliculostellate cells by means of histological technique. These molecules may play important roles in the regulation of hormone-producing cells in the anterior pituitary gland.