CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SURFACE CELLS OF THE RAT ANTERIOR PITUITARY GLAND IN CULTURE

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In the organ culture of rat anterior pituitary fragments, microvillous cells and ciliated cells rapidly covered the surface of the explant. The cilia showed the 9+2 fibril configuration. Both types of surface cells lacked secretory granules. The rough endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus were poorly developed in these cells, while bundles of filaments were frequently observed. The two types of cells formed junctional complexes between adjacent cells. Some surface cells of the explant were immunoreactive against anti-S-100 protein serum. These characteristics resemble those of folliculo-stellate and marginal cells found in the pituitary in situ. Microvillous and ciliated cells covered the glandular cells with their thin cytoplasmic projections. The basement membrane was observed on the basal side of the surface cells. It is suggested that the surface cells originate from inside the explant, and support the glandular cells.