日本海马(Hippocampus japonicus)脑垂体的组织学观察

本文应用组织学方法对日本海马(Hippocampus japonicus)脑垂体的形态结构和激素分泌细胞的鉴别作了研究。结果表明日本海马脑垂体属前后型。由腺垂体和神经垂体构成。腺垂体分为前腺垂体(RPD),中腺垂体(PPD)和后腺垂体(PI)。用O.F.G染色,腺垂体内可鉴别出七种激素分泌细胞,其中RPD内两种:促肾上腺皮质激素(ACTH)分泌细胞和催乳激素(PRL)分泌细胞;PPD内三种:生长激素(GH)分泌细胞、促甲状腺激素(TSH)分泌细胞和促性腺激素(GTH)分泌细胞;PI内两种:促黑激素(MSH)分泌细胞和一种机能不明的细胞。神经垂体狭窄,长带状位于整个腺垂体的背上方。     

CHO表达生长激素释放因子的生物活性测定

在对生长激素释放因子(GRF)基因改造和化学合成，并构建了其真核表达载体pCDNA3-GRF(1-32)的基础上．用Lipofectin将上述载体转染CHO细胞进行瞬时表达，采用体外单层垂体细胞培养的方法对表达的GRF(1-32)进行了体外生物活性测定，即先将垂体用酶进行消化，再将消化细胞培养，形成单层细胞，利用其能合成与释放生长激素的能力来检测GRF的活性。结果表明：表达产物可刺激生长激素释放，并且比对照组提高3．8倍，     

绵羊MTNR1a基因mRNA表达量的季节性差异

本试验分别于春分、夏至、秋分和冬至4个节气,随机选择体况良好体重相近的蒙古羊8只,外科手术取下丘脑、垂体组织样品,采用RT-PCR方法对其褪黑素受体MTNR1a基因表达进行半定量分析.结果表明:绵羊MTNR1a基因表达存在明显的季节性节律,下丘脑MTNR1a基因表达量在夏至时最低,秋分时最高,春冬季节相近;垂体MTNR1a基因表达量在秋分时最低,夏至时最高,春冬季节也相近.     

促性腺激素释放激素在不同品种母牛垂体中的免疫组化定位

为了掌握促性腺激素释放激素（GnRH）及其受体在不同品种母牛垂体中的变化规律,采用免疫组化SP染色法分别对广西沼泽型水牛、摩拉杂交水牛、荷斯坦奶牛、广西本地黄牛垂体中GnRH的分布表达进行对比研究。结果表明,不同品种母牛垂体中均发现有呈棕黄色或黄褐色的GnRH阳性物质存在,经Image-Pro Plus 6.0软件统计发现,摩拉杂交母水牛的GnRH免疫阳性细胞较其他3个品种的大（P〈0.05）,而平均光密度值介于荷斯坦母奶牛和广西本地母黄牛之间（P〉0.05）。在神经垂体中仅发现GnRH免疫阳性纤维,而未发现GnRH免疫阳性细胞;在腺垂体远侧部的细胞均呈GnRH免疫反应阳性,阳性物质主要分布在腺垂体远侧部嫌色细胞和嗜色细胞胞质内。说明GnRH对腺垂体激素分泌的调节可能是直接通过神经调节,而神经垂体可能只是GnRH调节过程的通路。     

血管活性肠肽在皖西白鹅下丘脑与垂体中的分布

【目的】对青春期和休产期皖西白鹅下丘脑和垂体中血管活性肠肽的分布与表达进行研究。【方法】采集青春期和休产期皖西白鹅的下丘脑和垂体,应用免疫组织化学PV-9000二步法并结合DAB显色技术,对血管活性肠肽的免疫反应阳性分布进行定位,并用Image-Pro Plus 6.0软件分析阳性区域的累积光密度值。【结果】血管活性肠肽免疫反应阳性细胞主要分布于青春期和休产期皖西白鹅下丘脑的弓状核、室旁核、内侧核、视上核、乳头体内侧核等处及腺垂体中;休产期皖西白鹅下丘脑和垂体中的血管活性肠肽的累积光密度值显著高于青春期。【结论】血管活性肠肽可能对皖西白鹅的休产状态有一定的调控作用。     

Luteinizing hormone (LH) response to different doses of synthetic gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) in prepubertal gilts

The object of this investigation was to study luteinizing hormone (LH) response to different doses of synthetic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in prepubertal gilts. Four crossbred prepubertal gilts, 128–134 days old and body weight 57–63 kg, were used in this study. Four doses, 0. 5, 25 and 125 μg, of GnRH were administered via a jugular vein catheter in a latin square design. Each treatment consisted of 3 injections at 90 min intervals. Frequent blood samples were taken during a period of 90 min before up to 90 min after treatment. Total LH responses were measured from post-treatment samples as the area under the curve above base level obtained from pre-treatment samples. A positive relationship between GnRH dose and LH release was obtained in all gilts, except for 1 treatment given to a gilt with high plasma level of oestradiol-17β on the day of treatment. This study has demonstrated the responsiveness of the pituitary gland by LH release to different doses of GnRH in 4.5-month-old prepubertal gilts.     

Single nucleotide polymorphism identification, linkage and radiation hybrid mapping of the porcine pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide type I receptor gene to chromosome 18

Pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a neuropeptide with diverse biological actions. Type I PACAP receptors (PACAPR) are specific for PACAP, whereas type II and III PACAPRs are less restricted. To localize and analyse the variation of this gene, a 559‐bp long intronic fragment of the porcine PACAPR gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and sequenced in samples from five different pig breeds. One single nucleotide polymorphism was identified and its allele frequency was determined in all five breeds. Linkage analysis in a Berkshire × Yorkshire reference family placed the PACAPR gene on chromosome 18, between SW787 and S0062 (SW787– 8.1 cM –PACAPR– 3.0 cM –S0062). Radiation hybrid mapping confirmed that the PACAPR gene was linked to SW1682 on chromosome 18 (28.8 cR₃₀₀₀; LOD = 10.4).     

Developmental changes in pituitary–thyroid axis, and formation of gonads in leptocephali and glass eels of Anguilla spp.

SUMMARY: Pituitary, thyroid gland and gonads in leptocephali of Japanese eel Anguilla japonica (19.8–32.6 mm in total length), A. obscura (45.0 mm), and A. bicolor pacifica (49.5 mm) and those in glass eels of the Japanese eel were histologically and immunohistochemically examined in order to observe the developmental changes of these endocrine organs in the Anguillidae. The pituitary, consisting of adenohypophysis and neurohypophysis in Japanese eel leptocephali over 22.5 mm, did not contain thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) immunoreactive cells. Such cells were, however, detectable in the more developed pituitaries of leptocephali of A. obscura and A. bicolor pacifica and in those of glass eels. Conversely, thyroxine (T₄)-immunoreactive thyroid follicles could be detected in all specimens, both leptocephalic and glass eel. Only in glass eels, gonads were found in the body cavity, and these gonads harbored one or two primordial germ cells (PGC) per cross-section. Our results indicate that thyroid hormones (TH) production started prior to TSH production, and that TSH and TH are both secreted during the metamorphosis from leptocephalus to glass eel. Therefore, it is plausible that the TSH–TH axis is involved in the metamorphosis from leptocephalus to glass eel, but not in the early growth from preleptocephalus to leptocephalus.     

INTRAARTERIAL INJECTION OF IODINATED CONTRAST MEDIUM FOR CONTRAST ENHANCED COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY OF THE EQUINE HEAD

Minimizing the volume of contrast administered for contrast‐enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the equine head is desirable for reducing costs and risks of adverse reactions, however evidence‐based studies on the effects of varying volumes on image quality are currently lacking. The objective of the current study was to determine whether low‐volume intraarterial administration of contrast medium would result in an equivalent image quality and tissue attenuation vs. high‐volume intravenous bolus administration. A prospective cross‐over experimental design was used in a sample of six horses. After anesthetic induction, the right carotid artery was exposed surgically and catheterized. Four CT scans of the cranium were performed for each horse: baseline, immediately following intraarterial contrast injection, five‐min postinjection (return to baseline) and a final scan after intravenous contrast administration. Soft tissue attenuation in predetermined regions of interest (ROI); and length, width, and height measurements of the pituitary gland were recorded at each time point. Horses were euthanized and measurements of the pituitary gland were repeated postmortem. No adverse reactions to contrast administration were observed. Intraarterial and intravenous administration of contrast medium resulted in significantly greater soft tissue enhancement of some brain ROI's and the pituitary gland vs. baseline values. Pituitary gland measurements made on postcontrast CT images did not differ from those obtained during postmortem examination. Findings indicated that low‐dose intraarterial administration of contrast material in the equine head resulted in comparable soft tissue enhancement vs. high volume intravenous administration.