Laminin isoforms and laminin-producing cells in rat anterior pituitary.

ABSTRACT: Laminin is a key component of the basement membrane and is involved in the structural scaffold and in cell proliferation and differentiation. Research has identified 19 laminin isoforms, which are assemblies of ?, ?, and ? chains (eg, the ?1, ?1, and ?1 chains form the laminin 111 isoform). Although laminin is known to be present in the anterior pituitary, the specific laminin isoforms have not been identified. This study used molecular biological and histochemical techniques-namely, RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization-to identify the laminin isoforms and laminin-producing cells in rat anterior pituitary. RT-PCR showed that laminin ?1, ?3, and ?4 genes were expressed in anterior pituitary. Immunohistochemistry revealed laminin ?1 in gonadotrophs and laminin ?4 in almost all vascular endothelial cells. Laminin ?3 was seen in a subset of vascular endothelial cells. We then performed in situ hybridization to localize ? and ? chains in these cells and found that laminin ?1, ?2, and ?1 were expressed in gonadotrophs and that laminin ?1 and ?1 were expressed in endothelial cells. In conclusion, we identified gonadotroph-type (laminin 111 and 121) and vascular-type (laminin 411 and 311) laminin isoforms in rat anterior pituitary.

SUBMITTER: Ramadhani D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3499700 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature