Expression of the common alpha-subunit mRNA of glycoprotein hormones during the chick pituitary organogenesis, with special reference to the pars tuberalis.

The expression of a common alpha-subunit mRNA of glycoprotein hormones was examined in the pituitary of chick embryos at various stages of development by in situ hybridization with a digoxigenin-labeled quail alpha-subunit cRNA probe. As a comparison with the expression of alpha-subunit mRNA, the onset of luteinizing hormone (LH) immunoreactivity was examined by immunohistochemical staining with a chicken LH antiserum. Both alpha-subunit mRNA and LH immunoreactivity began to appear in the basal-posterior region of the Rathke's pouch at embryonic day (E) 3.5. At E4.5 when the cephalic and caudal lobes of the pars distalis could be distinguished in the Rathke's pouch, intense signal for alpha-subunit mRNA was restricted to the cephalic lobe, consisting of a high columnar epithelium. At E6, gonadotrophs that were ovoid in shape, expressed intense signal for alpha-subunit mRNA, and revealed intense immunoreactivity for LH, were first detected in the cephalic lobe. At this stage, alpha-subunit mRNA expression became weak in the undifferentiated columnar cells of the cephalic lobe. At E8, the pars tuberalis primordium located close to the median eminence was formed at the lateral-apical end of the cephalic lobe. The primordium expressed intense signal for alpha-subunit mRNA. Gonadotrophs showing immunoreactivity for LH were densely distributed throughout the cephalic and caudal lobes in 8-day-old embryos. The pars tuberalis primordium expressing alpha-subunit mRNA progressively extended along the median eminence with embryonal age and reached the rostoral end by E14. Thus, both primordia of the pars distalis and pars tuberalis expressed intense signal for the common alpha-subunit mRNA. This subunit may play a role in the cytodifferentiation of the adenohypophysis.