Functional clones of pituitary cells derived from Rathke's pouch epithelium of fetal rats.

Sixty-five clonal strains fo anterior pituitary cells have been established from Rathke's pouch epithelium of fetal rats. Radioimmunoassay of the conditioned media has shown that some clones produce only prolactin, some produce prolactin and growth hormone and others produce prolactin, growth hormone and ACTH. The clonal cells have retained a normal diploid karyotype for extended periods of time in culture. The results indicate that differentiation into somatotrophs, coricotrophs and prolactin cells can occur in vitro from a single progenitor cell.