Ultrastructural studies on prolactin and growth hormone cells in Anguilla pituitaries in long term cultures

Eel hemi-pituitaries were cultured in vitro on high or low sodium media, previously shown to affect differentially prolactin and growth hormone release. After 6 days culture, there were marked differences in the ultrastructure or both prolactin and growth hormone cells from the two groups. Morphometric data on the prolactin cells from SW-adapted eels showed a greater abundance of RER and paucity of secretory granules in cells from the low sodium medium. The size of the Golgi apparatus and the number of exocytosed secretory granules did not differ markedly between experimental groups, in contrast to previous findings on short-term cultures. Differences in the profile diameters of secretory granules are recorded between the experimental groups and the pattern differs markedly from that previously recorded for short-term cultures. The growth hormone cells from low sodium media were characterised by abundant, vesiculated RER, a prominent Golgi apparatus (in SW-adapted animals) and relatively few secretory granules. The activity of these growth hormone cells is in marked contrast to previous findings relating to short-term cultures. The shape and size of the non-granulated (stellate) cells of the RPD was again affected by the osmotic pressure of the medium.