Ultrastructural localization of calcium and Ca2+-ATPase activity in gonadotrops and stellate cells of the catfish pituitary

Abstract

In the pituitary of the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, calcium precipitates were ultrastructurally visualized with the oxalate-pyroantimonate procedure (OPP). The presence of calcium in these precipitates was validated with several methods, including "Electron Energy Loss Spectrometry" (EELS). In the OPP-treated tissue calcium precipitates were seen in a) non-secretory stellate cells and b) gonadotropic (GTH-) cells. In the latter the amount of precipitate is generally low, but stimulation of the gonadotropin release, either in vivo or in vitro, resulted in a considerable increase. This increase is discussed in relation to the role of calcium as second messenger in the GTH-cells. Ca(2+)-ATPase was exclusively represented in stellate cells and GTH-cells, its strongest activity associated with the plasma membrane and with the membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum. The localization of this enzyme is discussed in relation to its role in the regulation of the intracellular calcium concentration in the GTH-cells. The stellate cells are considered to be involved in the regulation of extracellular calcium concentrations in the pituitary.

Calphotin: a Drosophila photoreceptor cell calcium-binding protein.

“…In a second method, samples were prepared by Kent McDonald and Mary Morphew (University of Colorado, Boulder) by quick-freezing under high pressure, freeze substitution, and embedding in Lowacryl (14). For detecting intracellular calcium, an oxalate precipitation (15) (16). The A expression library was screened with mAb 23E9 (16).…”