期刊
JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT
卷 68, 期 3, 页码 225-231出版社
SOCIETY REPRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT-SRD
DOI: 10.1262/jrd.2021-150
关键词
Rat pituitary; Stem cell niche; Stem/progenitor cells; Tight junction
资金
- JSPS KAKENHI [21K06192, 16K18818, 15J11564, 24580435, 26292166]
- MEXT-Supported Program for the Strategic Research Foundation at Private Universities
- Institute of Science and Technology, Meiji University
- Meiji University International Institute for BioResource Research (MUIIR)
- Takeda Science Foundation
- Uehara Memorial Foundation
The study reveals the structural characteristics of pituitary stem/progenitor cell niches and identifies the expression of tight junction-related proteins in these niches. These proteins may play a role in maintaining the structure and plasticity of pituitary stem/progenitor cell niches.
Pituitary endocrine cells are supplied by Sox2-expressing stem/progenitor cells in the anterior lobe of the adult pituitary gland. These SOX2-positive cells are maintained in two types of microenvironments (niches): the marginal cell layer (MCL)-niche and the parenchymal-niche. Recently, we isolated dense SOX2-positive cell clusters from the parenchymal-niche by taking advantage of their resistance to protease treatment as parenchymal stem/ progenitor cell (PS)-clusters. In the present study, by analyzing these isolated PS-clusters, we attempted to identify novel structural characteristics of pituitary stem/progenitor cell niches. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that tight junction-related genes were distinctly expressed in the isolated PS-clusters. Immunocytostaining showed that the tight junction molecules, ZO-1 and occludin, were localized in the apical membrane facing the pseudo-follicle-like structure of the isolated PS-clusters regardless of the expression of S100 beta, which distinguishes the sub-population of SOX2-positive cells. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry of the pituitary glands of adult rats clearly demonstrated that ZO-1 and occludin were densely present in the parenchymal-niche encircling the pseudo-follicle, while they were observed in the apical membrane in the MCL-niche facing the residual lumen. Collectively, these tight junction- related proteins might be involved in the architecture and maintenance of the plasticity of pituitary stem/progenitor cell niches.
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