The analysis of the mechanism of gap junctional network formation between folliculo-stellate cells in the rat anterior pituitary gland

垂体前叶由五种激素产生细胞和卵泡星状细胞（FS细胞）组成，这些细胞不产生经典的垂体前叶激素。这些细胞聚集形成细胞束或细胞簇，由不同类型的细胞外基质（ECM）包围，提供机械完整性、刚性和弹性。本研究发现，在ECM的影响下，FS细胞可能发挥以下重要功能：1)FS细胞促进细胞间间隙连接通讯。2)小窝蛋白3介导的整合素β1信号通路诱导FS细胞增殖，进而激活MAPK通路。3) ECM促进了FS细胞中MMP-9的表达，MMP-9是FS细胞相互连接和增殖所必需的。4) FS细胞分泌CXCL12，细胞间的CXCL12/CXCR4轴在FS细胞网络形成机制中起核心作用。希望这些发现有助于阐明垂体前叶细胞的功能、肿瘤发生机制和肿瘤治疗。

The anterior pituitary gland is composed of five types of hormone-producing cells and folliculo-stellate cells(FS cells), which do not produce classical anterior pituitary hormones. These cell aggregations form cell cords or clusters surrounded by different types of extracellular matrices(ECM), which provide the mechanical integrity, rigidity, and elasticity. The present study revealed that FS cells, under the influence of ECM, may play important functional roles as follows:1) FS cells facilitate the gap junctional cell-to-cell communication. 2) The proliferation of FS cells is induced by a caveolin 3-mediated integrinβ1 signaling pathway, leading to activation of the MAPK pathway. 3) ECM promotes MMP-9 expression in FS cells and that MMP-9 is required for the interconnection and proliferation of FS cells. 4) FS cells secreted CXCL12, and that the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis between FS cells plays a central role in the mechanism of FS cell network formation.It is hoped that these findings contribute to elucidating the cell function in the anterior pituitary gland, the neoplasia mechanism and tumor therapy.