Establishment of 3 dimensional cell culture system using rat anterior pituitary cells and its applications

本项目的目标是(1)建立大鼠垂体前叶细胞的三维培养系统；(2)利用该系统探索垂体前叶细胞的新功能。申请人将悬滴3D细胞培养方法应用于常规的大鼠垂体前叶细胞原代培养，建立了一种忠实地复制体内垂体前叶细胞和细胞外基质组织的体外实验模型。利用该培养系统，申请人进一步研究了不分泌经典垂体前叶激素的滤泡星状细胞的功能，并发现滤泡星状细胞在脑垂体前叶细胞外基质的形成中是必不可少的，如胶原蛋白和层粘连蛋白。

Aims of this project are (1) to establish 3 dimensional (3D) cell culture system using rat anterior pituitary cells and (2) to explore novel functions of anterior pituitary cells using the system. Applicant has applied a hanging drop 3D cell culture method to conventional primary cell culture of rat anterior pituitary cells and has developed a in vitro experimental model that is faithfully reproduced cell and extracellular matrix organization of in vivo anterior pituitary. Utilizing the culture system, applicant further investigated the function of folliculostellate cells that do not secrete classical anterior pituitary hormones and discovered that folliculostellate cells are essential in extracellular matrix formation, such as collagens and laminin, in the anterior pituitary gland.