New perspectives in the function of pituitary folliculo-stellate cells

Allaerts, Wilfried; Carmeliet, Peter; Denef, Carl

doi:10.1016/0303-7207(90)90244-3

Cited by 131 publications

(73 citation statements)

References 75 publications

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“…Gap junctions were observed along FS cell membranes (27,28). FS cells are also known to release various products that may act on neighboring FS cells (14,29).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has been well documented that FS cells are not just sustentacular elements but perform regulatory functions that determine the responsiveness of hormonesecreting cells (14,29). With their long cytoplasmic processes between other cell types, they are in an ideal position to play a role in intercellular communication mechanisms.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With their long cytoplasmic processes between other cell types, they are in an ideal position to play a role in intercellular communication mechanisms. Although FS cells do not secrete hormones, they are known to release biologically important factors and signaling molecules (e.g., IL-6, nitric oxide, vascular endothelial growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, follistatin) (14,29,36) and are responsive to central and peripheral stimuli [e.g., pituitary adenylate cyclaseactivating peptide (PACAP), vasoactive intestinal peptide, estrogens] (37-39) including immune factors (tumor necrosis factor ␣, transforming growth factor ␤3, IFN-␥) (40)(41)(42). Moreover and most remarkably, the FS cell network seems to provide a unique system of large-scale communication that may rapidly adjust cellular activities within the anterior pituitary.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Folliculostellate cell network: A route for long-distance communication in the anterior pituitary

Fauquier

Guérineau

McKinney

et al. 2001

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

190

168

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C lassically, the anterior pituitary is considered as a secondary oscillator obeying mainly hypothalamic factors, either increasing or decreasing secretion of pituitary hormones, which are released in an episodic manner at the base of the median eminence (1-4). The portal blood vessels form the interorgan communication system driving the hypothalamic inputs to the anterior pituitary. They collect the transmitters released by hypothalamic nerve endings at the primary capillary plexus level and slowly distribute them in the endocrine parenchyma via the arborescence of pituitary sinusoids between the columnar units of pituitary cells (''cell cords'') (5, 6). Over the last three decades, many studies carried out in isolated endocrine cells have provided strong evidence that endocrine cells generate action potential-driven rises in cytosolic Ca 2ϩ concentration ([Ca 2ϩ ] i ) that are probably the keystones of dynamic adjustment of numerous cellular functions, including exocytosis and gene expression (7-9). Recently, the technique of acute slice preparations applied to the anterior pituitary revealed that endocrine cells do fire short-term [Ca 2ϩ ] i transients because of their electrical activity in situ (10, 11).However, the activity of the gland as a whole does not reflect the average of independent dynamics of cellular messages that occur in the distinct endocrine cell types scattered throughout the tissue. In this respect, one puzzling finding is the persistence of pulsatile releasing profiles of hormones when the gland is disconnected from the hypothalamic inputs (12, 13). This indicates that a large-scale communication system exists within the anterior pituitary. Despite the wealth of information on cell-tocell mechanisms between endocrine cells that comprise the release of paracrine factors (14) and gap junction signaling (10), spreading of spatial information that crosses the limits of single cell cords could not be explained by these mechanisms.Because a highly efficient process spreading spatial information to the entire gland and even to pituitary subregions has not been reported yet, we explored here whether nonendocrine folliculostellate (FS) cells can support long-distance information transfer within the gland. FS cells display a star-shaped cytoplasmic configuration intermingled between hormone-secreting cells. The organization of FS cells within the parenchyma forms a three-dimensional anatomical network, in the meshes of which the endocrine cells reside (15, 16). Very little is known about the functioning of this FS cell network, in particular with regard to the dynamics of cellular͞intercellular messages. To study the behavior of this network, we measured multicellular changes in [Ca 2ϩ ] i , a messenger involved in a wide range of cell-to-cell communication mechanisms (17-23), electrophysiological properties of FS cells, and intercellular diffusion of dyes in acute pituitary slices. We show here that the FS cell network forms a functional intrapituitary circuitry in which information-Ca 2ϩ signa...

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“…Gap junctions were observed along FS cell membranes (27,28). FS cells are also known to release various products that may act on neighboring FS cells (14,29).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Folliculostellate cell network: A route for long-distance communication in the anterior pituitary

Fauquier

Guérineau

McKinney

et al. 2001

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

190

168

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“…In addition to the role of these macrophages in initiating the autoimmune response, these cells may also be involved in the regulation of the endocrine response of the islets themselves. Also, in other organs, macrophages and dendritic cells have been found which are able to regulate the function of endocrine cells, for example, the folliculo-stellate cells in the pituitary [27] and DC-like cells and macrophages in the ovary [28] and the testis [29]. The endocrine regulatory actions of these cells are partly performed in a paracrine way, but also via cell-to-cell contact [30,31].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Prophylactic Insulin Treatment on the Number of ER-MP23+Macrophages in the Pancreas of NOD Mice. Is the Prevention of Diabetes Based on β-cell Rest?

Jansen

Rosmalen

Homo‐Delarche

et al. 1996

Journal of Autoimmunity

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Prophylactic insulin treatment has been shown to have beneficial effects in type 1 diabetes, both in humans and in various animal models of the disease. In experimental models, the protective effect of prophylactic insulin treatment was observed in two parameters: (1) progression of insulitis and (2) diabetes incidence. The mechanism of protection still remains to be investigated. We therefore analysed by immunohistochemistry the effect of prophylactic insulin treatment vs placebo treatment (from 4 to 13 weeks of age) on ER-MP23 + macrophage infiltration in and around pancreatic islets in the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse, a spontaneous model for type 1 diabetes. BALB/c mice were used as diabetes-free controls. Using conventional haematoxylin-eosin staining, we detected a protective effect of prophylactic insulin treatment in NOD females on the lymphocytic insulitis, significant at 13 weeks, but not at 9 weeks of age. However, when assessed by immunostaining for early infiltration of ER-MP23 + macrophages around islets, the reduction in severity of insulitis could already be detected as early as 9 weeks of age. With regard to the early accumulation of ER-MP23 + cells, we observed that their numbers per mm 2 surface area of the exocrine pancreas and per m at the circumference of the islet were higher in placebo-treated NODs (197±13.8 and 14±0.9, respectively) as compared to age-matched BALB/c mice (123.1±7.1 and 3.5±0.9, respectively). Prophylactic insulin treatment of NODs lowered the attraction of ER-MP23 + macrophages to the exocrine pancreas and to the circumference of the islets (156.3±8.5 and 7.9±1, respectively). Interestingly also, the islet size was found to be larger in placebo-treated NODs (51% was larger than 10 m 2 ) than in age-matched BALB/c mice (9% larger than 10 m 2 ). Prophylactic insulin treatment of NODs reduced their islet size to sizes found in the control BALB/c strain. In conclusion, the decrease in islet size by early insulin administration, and the lower attraction of ER-MP23 + macrophages to the islets are morphological indications that prevention of diabetes development by prophylactic insulin treatment results from a downregulation of islet metabolism and growth, with a concomitant decline in the release of islet factors attracting macrophages.

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“…The exact function of these S100 positive non-endocrine cells of the pituitary is not fully appreciated yet. They have been reported to be a major source of several paracrine factors of the pituitary to form a network that facilitates the synchronization of the pituitary gland or to represent a group of progenitor cells with the potential to differentiate into specialized endocrine cells (Allaerts et al 1990, Renner et al 1996, Stojilkovic 2001, Inoue et al 2002. Folliculostellate cell lines derived from rat, mouse, and human anterior pituitaries have been characterized in recent years and experiments with these cells are beginning to shed some light into the function of this cell type (Inoue et al 1992, Danila et al 2000b, Bilezikjian et al 2003.…”

Section: Local Pituitary Actions Of Follistatinmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pituitary actions of ligands of the TGF-β family: activins and inhibins

Bilezikjian¹,

Blount²,

Donaldson³

et al. 2006

Reproduction

127

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Activins, as members of the transforming growth factor-b superfamily, control and orchestrate many physiological processes and are vital for the development, growth and functional integrity of most tissues, including the pituitary. Activins produced by pituitary cells work in conjunction with central, peripheral, and other local factors to influence the function of gonadotropes and maintain a normal reproductive axis. Follistatin, also produced by the pituitary, acts as a local buffer to bind activin and modulate its bioactivity. On the other hand, inhibins of gonadal origin provide an endocrine feedback signal to antagonize activin signaling in cells that express the inhibin co-receptor, betaglycan, such as gonadotropes. This review highlights the pituitary roles of activin and the mechanisms through which these actions are modulated by inhibin and follistatin.

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New perspectives in the function of pituitary folliculo-stellate cells

Cited by 131 publications

References 75 publications

Folliculostellate cell network: A route for long-distance communication in the anterior pituitary

Folliculostellate cell network: A route for long-distance communication in the anterior pituitary

Effect of Prophylactic Insulin Treatment on the Number of ER-MP23+Macrophages in the Pancreas of NOD Mice. Is the Prevention of Diabetes Based on β-cell Rest?

Pituitary actions of ligands of the TGF-β family: activins and inhibins

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