Differentiation potential of SOX2-positive stem cells in the bovine pituitary gland

The pituitary gland is the master endocrine gland, harboring stem cells with various genetic characteristics; however, data from non-rodent and non-human sources are scarce. In this study, we isolated putative stem cells from the bovine pituitary gland and investigated their potential for differentiation into hormone-producing cells. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that in calves and heifers, stem cell marker sex-determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2)-positive cells were widely present in the pituitary gland and partially co-localized with anterior pituitary hormones. Next, a single-cell suspension of primary anterior lobe cells from bovines aged 0 and 12 months was subjected to two-dimensional culture. Consequently, some cells proliferated in the culture dishes. The expression levels of Sox2 and several other stem cell markers were higher in these cells after culture. In addition, almost all proliferating cells were positive for SOX2, whereas all were negative for hormones. In three-dimensional cultures, SOX2-positive cells presented a spheroid-like morphology and differentiated into endocrine cells. These results provide evidence that SOX2-positive cells are pituitary stem cells with the potential to differentiate into hormone-producing cells, regardless of age. Our data lay a theoretical foundation for further studies on controlling fundamental processes, such as body growth, reproduction, and lactation.