Department of Neurosurgery, China Pituitary Disease Registry Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Neuroendocrinology. 2024;114(10):875-893. doi: 10.1159/000540352. Epub 2024 Jul 25.
Mounting evidence underscores the significance of cellular diversity within the endocrine system and the intricate interplay between different cell types and tissues, essential for preserving physiological balance and influencing disease trajectories. The pituitary gland, a central player in the endocrine orchestra, exemplifies this complexity with its assortment of hormone-secreting and nonsecreting cells.
The pituitary gland houses several types of cells responsible for hormone production, alongside nonsecretory cells like fibroblasts and endothelial cells, each playing a crucial role in the gland's function and regulatory mechanisms. Despite the acknowledged importance of these cellular interactions, the detailed mechanisms by which they contribute to pituitary gland physiology and pathology remain largely uncharted. The last decade has seen the emergence of groundbreaking technologies such as single-cell RNA sequencing, offering unprecedented insights into cellular heterogeneity and interactions. However, the application of this advanced tool in exploring the pituitary gland's complexities has been scant. This review provides an overview of this methodology, highlighting its strengths and limitations, and discusses future possibilities for employing it to deepen our understanding of the pituitary gland and its dysfunction in disease states.
Single-cell RNA sequencing technology offers an unprecedented means to study the heterogeneity and interactions of pituitary cells, though its application has been limited thus far. Further utilization of this tool will help uncover the complex physiological and pathological mechanisms of the pituitary, advancing research and treatment of pituitary diseases.
越来越多的证据强调了内分泌系统中细胞多样性的重要性，以及不同细胞类型和组织之间的复杂相互作用，这对于维持生理平衡和影响疾病进程至关重要。作为内分泌乐团的核心成员，垂体腺体现了这种复杂性，其包含了多种分泌激素和不分泌激素的细胞。
垂体腺包含了几种负责激素产生的细胞类型，以及成纤维细胞和内皮细胞等非分泌细胞，它们在腺体的功能和调节机制中都起着至关重要的作用。尽管这些细胞相互作用的重要性已得到公认，但它们对垂体腺生理学和病理学的贡献的详细机制在很大程度上仍未被探索。过去十年中，出现了单细胞 RNA 测序等突破性技术，为细胞异质性和相互作用提供了前所未有的见解。然而，这种先进工具在探索垂体腺复杂性方面的应用却很少。本文综述了这种方法，强调了它的优势和局限性，并讨论了未来利用它来加深我们对垂体腺及其在疾病状态下功能障碍的理解的可能性。
单细胞 RNA 测序技术为研究垂体细胞的异质性和相互作用提供了前所未有的手段，尽管迄今为止其应用有限。进一步利用这一工具将有助于揭示垂体的复杂生理和病理机制，推动对垂体疾病的研究和治疗。
