Folliculostellate cells in pituitary pars distalis of male viscacha: immunohistochemical, morphometric and ultrastructural study

Folliculostellate cells (FSC) have been reported in pituitary of several mammalian species. FSC morphology and secreted sub- stances have been instrumental to the under- standing of their function. The purpose of this work was to perform an immunohistochemi- cal, morphometric and ultrastructural study of the pituitary pars distalis FSC in adult male viscacha and to analyze their relation with hormone secreting cells. Immunohistoche- mistry and image analysis were carried out in different sectors of the gland, from the middle (sector 1) to the glandular periphery (sector 5). Transmission electron microscopy with lanthanum as electrodense tracer was used. FSC formed follicles with PAS-positive colloid inside. They expressed S-100 protein mainly in both nucleus and cytoplasm. FSC were stel- late-like in shape and exhibited short cyto- plasmic processes that contacted with blood vessels and endocrine cells. In addition, some follicular colloids were immunostained with anti-S-100 protein. A few FSC were immunos- tained with anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and anti-vimentin. The morphometric parameters analyzed (percentages of S-100- positive total, cellular and colloidal areas) increased from sector 1 to sector 3 and then decreased to sector 5. Hormone secreting cells, mainly lactotrophs, gonadotrophs and corticotrophs were associated with FSC and follicles. The ultrastructural study demonstrat- ed that FSC developed junctional complexes and desmosomes between their lateral mem- branes. Lanthanum freely penetrated the spaces between granulated cells and FSC, but did not penetrate into the follicular lumen. In conclusion: 1) the differential expression of S- 100 protein, GFAP and vimentin may indicate different physiological stages of FSC; 2) the expression of these proteins suggests a neuroectodermic origin of these cells; 3) FSC spa- tial distribution, association with endocrine cells, and the generation of an intercellular communication network suggest that FSC are involved in the pituitary pars distalis paracrine regulation of the viscacha.