Biomedical subjects

P Redecker

Publications and source records attributed to P Redecker.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1995

The ras-like rab3A protein is present in pinealocytes of the gerbil pineal gland.

As part of our molecular and functional characterization of the compartment of synaptic-like microvesicles (SLMVs) in mammalian pinealocytes, we have now analyzed the pineal gland of the Mongolian gerbil for the presence of rab3 proteins. Members of this subfamily of small G proteins are thought to regulate the intracellular trafficking and/or membrane fusion of secretory vesicles. Immunostaining of serial semi-thin sections of plastic-embedded pineals with monoclonal antibodies which recognize rab3A revealed the occurrence of rab3A in pinealocytes throughout the gland. Rab3A immunoreactivity was markedly enriched in dilated pinealocyte process terminals known to contain accumulations of SLMVs. The latter could be labeled with the rab3 antibodies at the ultrastructural level when immunogold staining was performed. Our results lend further support to the hypothesis that mammalian pinealocytes are endowed with a population of SLMVs that serve secretory functions.

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PubMed1995

Differential distribution of synaptotagmin I and rab3 in the anterior pituitary of four mammalian species.

In the anterior pituitary of rat, gerbil, hamster and guinea pig, the presence and cellular distribution of the synaptic vesicle-associated proteins synaptotagmin I and rab3 were analyzed by immunoblotting and by immunocytochemical staining of serial semithin sections. Our results show that rab3 proteins are ubiquitously expressed in all endocrine cell types of both the anterior and intermediate lobe. In many cells, rab3 immunoreactivity was concentrated beneath the plasmalemma. This intracellular distribution coincided with the distribution of secretory granules, suggesting a possible association of rab3 proteins with the latter organelles. The staining patterns observed using two monoclonal rab3 antibodies with different isoform specificities are compatible with the recent suggestion that rab3B is the dominant rab3 isoform in anterior pituitary cells. However, we could demonstrate that also rab3A is present in endocrine adenohypophyseal cells, albeit at low levels. In contrast to rab3, synaptotagmin I immunoreactivity was only detected in a limited number of adenohypophyseal endocrine cells. Whereas the monoclonal synaptotagmin I antibody consistently failed to immunostain lactotrophs and endocrine cells of the intermediate lobe, other endocrine cell types displayed variable immunoreactivities towards this antibody. Although a low level of synaptotagmin I expression in the immunonegative cells cannot be excluded, the above observation may reflect a differential distribution of synaptotagmin isoforms in endocrine organs, as it has been described for the nervous system. Our study has established that endocrine cells of the anterior pituitary are endowed with proteins of the rab3 and synaptotagmin families which are generally thought to play important roles in the regulation of the trafficking and/or exocytosis of secretory organelles and, hence, probably fulfil similar functions in adenohypophyseal cells.

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PubMed1994

Glutamate immunoreactivity is enriched over pinealocytes of the gerbil pineal gland.

Mammalian pinealocytes have been shown to contain synaptic-like microvesicles with putative secretory functions. As a first step to elucidate the possibility that pinealocyte microvesicles store messenger molecules, such as neuroactive amino acids, we have studied the distributional pattern of glutamate immunoreactivity in the pineal gland of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) at both light- and electron-microscopic levels. In semithin sections of plastic-embedded pineals, strong glutamate immunoreactivity could be detected in pinealocytes throughout the pineal gland. The density of glutamate immunolabeling in pinealocytes varied among individual cells and was mostly paralleled by the density of immunostaining for synaptophysin, a major integral membrane protein of synaptic and synaptic-like vesicles. Postembedding immunogold staining of ultrathin pineal sections revealed that gold particles were enriched over pinealocytes. In particular, a high degree of immunoreactivity was associated with accumulations of microvesicles that filled dilated process terminals of pinealocytes. A positive correlation between the number of gold particles and the packing density of microvesicles was found in three out of four process terminals analyzed. However, the level of glutamate immunoreactivity in pinealocyte process endings was lower than in presumed glutamatergic nerve terminals of the cerebellum and posterior pituitary. The present results provide some evidence for a microvesicular compartmentation of glutamate in pinealocytes. Our findings thus lend support to the hypothesis that glutamate serves as an intrapineal signal molecule of physiological relevance to the neuroendocrine functions of the gland.

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PubMed1993

Synaptophysin--a common constituent of presumptive secretory microvesicles in the mammalian pinealocyte: a study of rat and gerbil pineal glands.

Recent studies have established that pinealocytes of the mammalian pineal gland contain marker molecules of neuroendocrine cells or paraneurons like the synaptic vesicle-associated protein synaptophysin (p38). The objective of this study was to identify the subcellular synaptophysin-positive compartment and to characterize in detail the intracellular distribution of this protein in rat and gerbil pinealocytes. An analysis of serial semithin sections of plastic-embedded pineals immunostained for synaptophysin, including computer-assisted optical density measurements of synaptophysin immunoreactivities, demonstrated unequivocally that synaptophysin was highly concentrated in dilated process terminals of the pinealocytes. More than 75% of these process terminals were found to border or lie within the pericapillary space. At the ultrastructural level, they contained accumulations of small clear vesicles of variable size that turned out to be the site of synaptophysin immunoreactivity when immunogold staining was performed. In addition, microvesicles surrounding synaptic ribbons were also immunolabeled. Hence, the pinealocyte is the first neuroendocrine cell type that has now been shown to concentrate synaptophysin-positive microvesicles in perivascular process endings. This observation lends strong support to the hypothesis that small clear vesicles in neuroendocrine cells in general, and in pinealocytes in particular, serve secretory functions. The quantitative analysis of completely sectioned process endings revealed that the microvesicles outnumber by far the amount of dense core vesicles and therefore cannot arise by endocytosis of dense core vesicle membranes. Thus, small synaptic-like vesicles probably constitute an independent secretory pathway of the paraneuronal pinealocytes. In the present study, we could also establish the absence of immunoreactivity for synapsin I (belonging to a family of neuron-specific nerve terminal phosphoproteins) from pinealocytes. Synapsin I immunoreactivity was only detectable in intrapineal nerve terminals and varicosities. Taken together, the immunostaining patterns of the pineal gland obtained with antibodies directed against synaptic vesicle-associated proteins render the mammalian pinealocyte a very special type of neuroendocrine cell or paraneuron rather than a "classic" neuron.

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PubMed1993

Dense accumulations of synaptic-like microvesicles in 'dark' pinealocytes of the gerbil pineal gland.

In an electron-microscopical study the occurrence and ultrastructural features of electron-dense 'dark' variants of pinealocytes were evaluated in the gerbil pineal gland. A few 'dark' pinealocytes, which tended to form small clusters of contiguous cells, could consistently be detected in pineals fixed and embedded by various procedures. Apart from the different degree of electron density, the only conspicuous difference between 'dark' and electron-lucent 'light' pinealocytes concerned their compartment of synaptic-like microvesicles. Thus, both variants of pinealocytes contained abundant clear microvesicles of variable size which accumulated in dilated process terminals. However, the vesicles within the process endings of 'dark' pinealocytes showed an unusually dense arrangement throughout the cytoplasm. As was demonstrated by immunogold staining, the accumulations of vesicles in the 'dark' terminals contained synaptophysin, a major synaptic vesicle-associated protein. This protein is present in small clear vesicles with putative secretory functions in a wide variety of neuroendocrine cells and has previously been shown to be a common constituent of microvesicles in mammalian pinealocytes. Since gerbil pinealocytes displayed distinct gradations of electron density, their ultrastructural heterogeneity may be the expression of different states of secretory activity of one pinealocyte cell type. On the other hand, differences in the content of synaptic-like microvesicles in the process terminals of 'light' and 'dark' cells could also indicate a principal functional heterogeneity of the microvesicular compartment among pinealocytes, pointing to the existence of different types of pinealocytes.

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PubMed1993

Close microtopographical relationships between sympathetic nerve terminals and bulbous process endings of pinealocytes in the pineal gland of the Mongolian gerbil.

Previous studies have shown that pinealocytes of the gerbil pineal gland exhibit processes that form terminal swellings filled with abundant electron-lucent microvesicles. The membrane of these presumptive secretory microvesicles is known to contain synaptophysin, a major integral glycoprotein of neuronal synaptic vesicles. The present study was conducted to evaluate the microtopographical relationships between the vesicle-rich process swellings and intra-pineal nerve terminals. For this purpose, both nerve terminals and pinealocyte process endings were visualized immunohistochemically in the same semi-thin sections of plastic-embedded gerbil pineals, using antibodies directed against synaptophysin. This approach consistently revealed close spatial associations of punctate immunopositive nerve endings with intensity stained bulbous process terminals of pinealocytes in or near the perivascular spaces. The light-microscopic observations of intimate neuronal-pinealocytic relationships were corroborated at the electron-microscopic level. Perivascular varicosities with ultrastructural features characteristic of sympathetic nerve terminals were frequently juxtaposed to vesicle-filled process endings of pinealocytes. Analysis of serial thin sections showed that multiple point-to-point contacts are encountered between noradrenergic nerve terminals and pinealocytic process swellings. Our morphological findings imply that bulbous process terminals, at least in the gerbil pineal gland, are major targets for the neuronal control of the secretory activity of pinealocytes.

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PubMed1992

The microanatomy of canine islets of Langerhans: implications for intra-islet regulation.

In recent years models for the internal ("intra-islet") regulation of hormone secretion have been proposed to explain how different islet cells might regulate each other by means of their respective secretory peptides. Models that emphasize the importance of a directed intra-islet blood flow and sequence of perfusion of islet cells rely on a certain type of islet microanatomy and vascular supply. The experimental studies underlying these models have partly been performed in dogs. To extend the incomplete morphological knowledge of the canine endocrine pancreas both canine islets of Langerhans and extrainsular cells have been analysed in immunostained serial semithin (0.5 microns) sections. In addition to their occurrence within islets of Langerhans, all endocrine cell types are also found at extrainsular sites (about 9% of all endocrine cells) where they are distributed in different quantities among the epithelial lining of exocrine acini or excretory ducts and the connective tissue. There are continuous transitions from single extrainsular cells to small mono- and polycellular cell groups to islets. In a comprehensive analysis of whole islets, including computer-assisted three-dimensional reconstructions, the size, shape and vascularization of the islets as well as their cellular composition and the microtopology of islet cells have been studied. We have found marked intra- and inter-islet heterogeneities of the parameters investigated that are not compatible with concepts of a uniform and directed vascular perfusion of the various islet cell populations. Instead, their paracrine regulation may occur primarily via hormonal secretion into the intercellular spaces or vascular hormonal delivery to adjacent cells.

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PubMed1992

[Synaptophysin in the nervous system and endocrine cells].

Synaptophysin is a major integral membrane glycoprotein of neuronal synaptic vesicles that is present in virtually all synapses and shows a high degree of evolutionary conservation in mammalian species. It has also been detected in numerous endocrine cell types where it is localized in the membrane of small synaptic-like vesicles which are thought to constitute a previously unknown secretory pathway. Antibodies directed against synaptophysin are a valuable tool for the immunohistochemical quantitation of synapses. Moreover, synaptophysin is a most reliable and specific marker molecule for normal and neoplastic neuroendocrine cells. In the nervous system, synaptophysin-positive tumors comprise ganglioneuromas, ganglioneuroblastomas, neuroblastomas, paragangliomas and primitive neuroectodermal tumors.

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PubMed1991

Ultrastructural demonstration of neurohaemal contacts in the internal zone of the median eminence of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus): correlation with synaptophysin immunohistochemistry.

Electron microscopy of the median eminence (ME) of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) revealed that, unlike most other mammalian species, abundant neurohaemal contacts were present not only in the external zone (EZ), but also in the internal zone (IZ) up to the subependymal layer. In the IZ, nerve terminals with dense core vesicles and/or small clear vesicles abutted on the outer basal lamina of the perivascular space of portal capillaries, alternating with tanycyte processes. In addition to these neurohaemal contacts, several layers of vesicle-filled varicosities surrounded the portal vasculature. An analysis of serial thin sections showed that the latter varicosities could also reach the perivascular basal lamina or contact it through small extensions in other planes of section. Apparently at least some of the nerve terminals making neurohaemal contacts were en passant in nature. A correlative investigation of synaptophysin (a major integral membrane protein of small synaptic vesicles) immunoreactivity at the light microscopical level demonstrated a conspicuously dense immunostaining around portal capillaries in both EZ and IZ of the proximal and distal ME (neural stalk). Since this perivascular accumulation of immunoreactivity coincides precisely with the ultrastructural accumulation of vesicle-filled axons which establish numerous neurohaemal contacts, it is concluded that this pattern of synaptophysin immunostaining indicates sites of neurohaemal contacts at the light microscopical level. During postnatal development, the perivascular concentration of synaptophysin immunoreactivity in the IZ appeared concomitantly with the early postnatal expansion of long portal capillary loops into the IZ.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Synaptophysin immunoreactivity in the mammalian endocrine pancreas.

Synaptophysin, a major membrane glycoprotein of small presynaptic vesicles in neurons, has also been found in microvesicles of endocrine cells, e.g., of the endocrine pancreas. In the present study, the endocrine pancreas in 9 mammalian species (man, dog, mink, bovine, rabbit, guinea pig, rat, mouse, gerbil) has been investigated immunohistochemically for synaptophysin immunoreactivity. Synaptophysin-positive cells have been identified and localized on semithin plastic sections. Our study demonstrates that, in all species examined, all pancreatic endocrine cell types are consistently synaptophysin-positive independent of their location within the tissue, or the conditions of tissue processing. In addition, a few cells that cannot be hormonally identified show synaptophysin immunoreactivity. Hence, synaptophysin appears to be a regular constituent of all pancreatic endocrine cells in mammals. In several species, a subpopulation of endocrine cells, consisting of glucagon-containing and/or pancreatic-polypeptide-containing cells, exhibits a significantly higher degree of synaptophysin immunoreactivity. In the gerbil, this heterogeneity can readily be detected from the day of birth onwards. Our findings indicate that closely related endocrine cell types may differ with respect to the content of synaptophysin.

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PubMed1990

Immunohistochemical localization of synaptophysin (p38) in the pineal gland of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus).

Synaptophysin (protein p38), a major integral membrane glycoprotein of small presynaptic vesicles, was localized immunohistochemically in semithin sections of the superficial pineal gland of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). Synaptophysin immunoreactivity could be detected in all pinealocytes, which were visualized with antibodies directed against neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in adjacent sections. No p38 immunoreactivity was discernible in the interstitial glial cells, which showed a heterogeneous pattern of immunostaining for the intermediate filament proteins glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin. Pinealocytes exhibited considerable intercellular differences in the densities of immunostaining. The various degrees of synaptophysin immunoreactivities in pinealocytes were not correlated with the densities of NSE immunostaining. Nerve terminals and varicosities displayed stronger immunoreactivities than pinealocytes. They were particularly numerous in the perivascular spaces. It is not clear whether this distribution indicates an innervation of pineal capillaries in addition to the functionally important innervation of pinealocytes. Several highly p38-positive dots of variable size were a conspicuous feature throughout the gland. By the consecutive semithin-thin section technique, they could be identified as processes of pinealocytes, filled with accumulations of small clear vesicles. Obviously, these vesicles represent the major site of synaptophysin immunoreactivity in pinealocytes. In the gerbil, similar vesicles have been ascribed a role in the secretory activity of the gland, and/or in the transport of calcium. The intercellular differences in the degrees of p38 immunostaining may, therefore, reflect different states of a specific cellular activity. The presence of synaptophysin in pinealocytes of the normal pineal, including the deep portions of the gland, emphasizes the paraneuronal character of these cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

The glial architecture of the median eminence of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus); a study of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity in semithin sections.

The glial architecture of the median eminence (ME) of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) was studied immunohistochemically. For this purpose, semithin sections of the proximal ME were processed according to the PAP technique using antibodies directed against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Various glial cells were stained. Their distribution, the arrangement and morphology of their processes, and the spatial relations with adjacent tissue components could be examined in detail. Most of the immunoreactive cells were identified as either tanycytes (present throughout the internal zone, but preferentially located in the ependymal and subependymal layer), or as tanycyte-like cells (present throughout the external zone, but preferentially situated in the reticular layer). The processes of both cell types established numerous contacts with capillaries of the primary portal plexus in the external zone. Moreover, many projections of tanycyte processes to capillaries of the internal zone were revealed, most notably in the subependymal layer. Peculiar uni- and bipolar cells could be detected in the fibre layer of the internal zone, the processes of which were oriented parallel to the course of the axons of the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal system. It was demonstrated that the methodology used to study the glial cells of the ME was also well applicable to the neural lobe. This technique, therefore, provides a valuable tool for the precise visualization of the majority of glial cells in the whole neurohypophysis of the gerbil. Thus, by sequential immunostaining of serial semithin sections investigations concerning the presence of multiple substances within single neurohypophyseal glial cells become possible.

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PubMed1989

Immunohistochemical localization of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin in the subcommissural organ of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus).

The chemical composition of intermediate filaments (IF's) in the ependyma of the subcommissural organ (SCO) of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) was investigated immunohistochemically in paraffin-embedded tissue. Antibodies against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), vimentin, neurofilament proteins and cytokeratins were used. Only GFAP and vimentin were detected in the non-specialized diencephalic ependyma and in the ependymocytes of the SCO. Staining could be observed in apical and basal processes of the SCO-cells. The latter processes extended into the posterior commissure up to the subpial surface, thus establishing a well-developed leptomeningeal route of ependymal projections. In contrast to the homogeneous vimentin-labeling, the SCO was particularly immunoreactive for GFAP in its lateral aspects and in the supra- and precommissural parts. The coexpression of GFAP and vimentin in a subclass of SCO-ependymocytes was demonstrated on differentially immunostained semithin sections. The present study confirms the glial nature of the SCO-ependyma, which has been a matter of debate recently. It appears from this investigation that the high degree of secretory activity in the SCO does not necessarily lead to the disappearance of glial IF proteins. Moreover, the SCO-cells belong to the expanding group of mature astroglia, which is characterized by coexpression of GFAP and vimentin. The morphological similarity between SCO-ependymocytes and tanycytes is underscored by their common immunoreactivity against these two IF proteins. In view of the absence of GFAP from the rat SCO, interspecific differences must be considered in the evaluation of the IF protein composition.

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PubMed1989

Characterization of the follicles in the intermediate lobe of the pituitary gland of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus).

The Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) contains abundant follicles throughout the intermediate lobe (IL) of the pituitary gland in the adult animal. The mode of follicle formation, the nature of the follicle building cells and the distribution of follicles were investigated in semithin sections of the gerbil IL. The sections were stained conventionally, or immunohistochemically with antibodies directed against alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH). Follicular cells were constantly alpha-MSH-negative, and resembled the marginal cells lining the hypophyseal cleft with regard to their cytological and immunohistochemical properties. Moreover, follicular cells appeared to be derived from strands of marginal cells that regularly invaginated deep into the IL. Both follicular and marginal cells often made up cellular clusters. This process coincided with follicle formation and the generation or transport of the colloidal content found inside follicles and the hypophyseal cleft. Although the non-secretory cells of the IL obviously constituted one major source of pituitary colloid in the gerbil, alpha-MSH-positive secretory cells, which occasionally were found to be discharged into the cleft cavity, might contribute to the colloidal contents.

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PubMed1989

Immunohistochemical study of cells positive for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the human pituitary gland, with special reference to folliculo-stellate cells.

The cytology and the distribution of cells which contain glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were studied immunohistochemically in thick frozen sections of human pituitary glands. Immunoreactive cells were constantly demonstrated in both neuro- and adenohypophysis. In the neural lobe, an irregular network of long GFAP-positive pituicyte processes was revealed. Within this network, some asymmetric pituicytes became visible. A variable number of cells was stained in cell cords and follicles of the pars distalis and the intermediate zone. The morphology of these cells could be studied in detail, providing strong evidence to support the hypothesis that adenohypophyseal GFAP-immunoreactive cells belong to the folliculo-stellate (FS) cell system. Cells with similar cytological features in the pars distalis or the intermediate zone were found to share common immunoreactivities against GFAP and the presumable FS cell markers vimentin and S-100 protein. Our results corroborate the notion that, in the human pituitary, GFAP can be regarded as a marker protein of pituicytes and FS cells, which is expressed at varying degrees.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

Postnatal development of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity in pituicytes and tanycytes of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus).

The postnatal development (day of birth up to the end of the third month) of neurohypophyseal pituicytes and tanycytes of the median eminence (ME) and the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) was studied immunohistochemically in the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) with antibodies directed against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP; the major protein subunit of glial filaments). Weak GFAP-immunoreactivity (IR) was scattered in the neural lobe (NL), the ME and the lining of the ventral 3rd ventricle at the first postnatal days. By the end of the second postnatal week, the intensity of the IR had reached a level comparable to that of adult animals. Generally, in the whole neurohypophysis a cytoarchitectonic pattern, which essentially corresponded to adult conditions, was reached around the beginning of the second month. During the first week postnatum, solely perinuclear stainings, mostly unipolar pituicytes with short processes and isolated fibers were discernible in the NL. In the course of the second and third postnatal week, a growing number of the densely arranged pituicytes appeared in form of bi- and multipolar cells. Thickness and length of pituicyte processes, as well as their degree of branching, increased progressively in the first month. The number of GFAP-positive tanycytes in the ventral 3rd ventricle and in the ME most markedly augmented in the first week postnatum. In the MBH, long tanycyte processes emerged from the ventricular lining to cross the arcuate nucleus in large bows, delimiting groups of neurons. Ependymal and subependymal tanycytes in the ME gave rise to radial processes extending to the external zone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Immunogold electron microscopic localization of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in neurohypophyseal pituicytes and tanycytes of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus).

The post-embedding immuno gold staining (IGS) technique was used for the ultrastructural localization of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in pituicytes and tanycytes of the neurohypophysis. IGS was applied to LR White embedded neurohypophyseal tissue of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus), a species which contains abundant GFAP-positive pituicytes and tanycytes. GFAP-immunoreactivity could be demonstrated on pituicytic intermediate filaments (IF's) in situ. Thus, it was shown that pituicytes contain GFAP in its filamentous form, what had been a matter of speculation. At the ultrastructural level, gerbil tanycytes and tanycyte-like cells in the external zone of the median eminence were characterized by a great amount of densely packed IF's, which were labeled by both GFAP- or vimentin-antibodies. Sequential immunostaining of serial semithin sections with GFAP- and vimentin-antibodies revealed an invariable coexpression of the two IF proteins in somata and processes of these median eminence cells.

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PubMed1989

Comparative immunohistochemical study of the presence of glial fibrillary acidic protein in the pituitary of several vertebrates.

The presence and distribution of the astrocytic marker protein GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein) in the pituitaries of several mammalian as well as of some submammalian vertebrates were examined immunohistochemically. Our study revealed that GFAP-immunoreactive pituicytes, probably reflecting the presence of the filament-rich fibrous type of pituicyte, are a common feature of the mammalian neural lobe. Moreover, interspecific and interindividual differences of the neurohypophyseal immunostaining could be observed. In the distal neurohypophysis of some submammalian vertebrates, processes of ependymal glia showed GFAP-like immunoreactivity. Our results are in agreement with the well established evolutionary stability of GFAP elsewhere in the brain. In contrast to the neurohypophysis, GFAP-positive cells within the intermediate lobe were inconstantly present in only some species. They may be derived from neurohypophyseal glia. Folliculo-stellate cells of the adenohypophyseal pars distalis were not stained.

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