Cellular heterogeneity in primary monolayer cultures of mouse pituitary thyrotropic tumors: separation of thyrotrophs.

Primary monolayer cultures of cells derived by enzymatic dispersion from mouse pituitary thyrotropic tumors were demonstrated to be comprised of at least 2 cell types and were separated by selective culture techniques. Suspension cultures of spherical cells had the morphological characteristics of thyrotrophs and produced large quantities of TSH. Separated monolayer cultures of spreading, planar cells produced collagen but almost no TSH. These observations indicate that primary monolayer cultures of cells derived from thyrotropic tumors are heterogeneous, containing only a small proportion of thyrotrophs.