Human fetal adenohypophysis: morphologic and functional analysis in vitro

Pituitaries from 24 human fetuses at 7-20 weeks of gestation were studied in culture to assess hormone release, response to adenohypophysiotropic hormones and cytodifferentiation by electron microscopy in cultures lasting 4-8 days and in some cases up to 28 days. At 7 weeks of gestation, ACTH was released by cultured cells which included recognizable corticotrophs. GH was released by cells cultured from 8- to 9-week fetuses and densely granulated somatotrophs were present in the cultures. alpha-Subunit of glycoprotein hormones was present in cultures from 10-week fetuses and TSH and LH were released from 12-week fetuses. FSH was found in cultures of a 13-week female fetus but not before 14 weeks in cultures from males. The levels of FSH and LH were higher in media from cultures of females than from those of males at all ages from detection to 20 weeks, whereas alpha-subunit was slightly higher in media from males. While cells with features of the glycoprotein hormone cell line were found in cultures from 10-week fetuses, no characteristic thyrotrophs or gonadotrophs were recognized. PRL was not measured in basal incubations before 14 weeks. The amounts of all hormones released were proportional to fetal age and decreased with duration of culture. Cortisol suppressed ACTH release in cultures from 7- to 8-week fetuses. Responsiveness of GH release to GRH/SRIH, of ACTH to CRH, and of FSH to GnRH, was found at 12 weeks; LH stimulation by GnRH and TSH response to TRH were documented at 14 weeks. Increments of gonadotropin release during incubation with GnRH were greater in cultures from females than in those from males. PRL release responded to GRH stimulation and to SRIH inhibition in parallel with GH; this behavior is consistent with production of both hormones by mammosomatotrophs. The onset of hormone release by cultured human fetal pituitaries correlates with the detection of hormones biochemically and immunohistochemically. Responsiveness of fetal adenohypophysial cells to hormonal influences indicates functional maturity early in gestation.