抄録
The present study was designed to investigate the immunohistochemical localization and distribution of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the goat pituitary gland. We examined various fixatives for tissue preparation, and confirmed that methyl Carnoy-fixed tissues were associated with a better preservation of bFGF. After fixation, paraffin- embedded tissue sections were prepared, and were stained immunohistochemically with mouse monoclonal antibody against bovine bFGF. Approximately 30% of parenchymal cells in the pars distalis of the goat pituitary gland displayed strong immunoreactivity against the bFGF antibody. Endothelial cells occasionally showed positive immunoreactivity. No immunopositive cells were found in either the pars intermedia of the pituitary gland or posterior lobes. Based on analysis of serial sections stained with antibodies against pituitary hormones (luteinizing hormone and adrenocorticotropic hormone), bFGF-positive cells appear to be a subpopulation of gonadotrophs and or corticotrophs. The present findings indicate that immunohistochemical reactivity for bFGF may be partially attributed to differences in fixatives and that bFGF may play critical roles in the goat pituitary gland.
