Formaldehyde-ozone-induced fluorescence in pituitary ACTH cells: effect of adrenalectomy.

ACTH and MSH cells of the pituitary are rich in peptides with NH2-terminaltryptophan, as revealed by fluorescence histochemistry. Adrenalectomy stimulates the ACTH cells but not the MSH cells. As a result, ACTH as well as tryptophyl-peptides disappear from the ACTH cells but not from the MSH cells. It is concluded that the tryptophyl-peptides are stored together with the respective hormone in the ACTH and MSH cells and that tryptophyl-peptides in the ACTH cells are released together with the hormone.