Age-related changes in nestin immunoreactivity in the rat pituitary gland

Laurent Gautron, Véronique De-Smedt, Sophie Layé
Neuroendocrinology. 2009-01-01; 90(1): 19-30
DOI: 10.1159/000220994

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1. Neuroendocrinology. 2009;90(1):19-30. doi: 10.1159/000220994. Epub 2009 May 25.

Age-related changes in nestin immunoreactivity in the rat pituitary gland.

Gautron L(1), De-Smedt V, Layé S.

Author information:
(1)Psychoneuroimmunologie, Nutrition et Génétique, INRA UMR 1286, CNRS UMR 5226,
Université Bordeaux-2, Bordeaux, France.

The pituitary gland undergoes important changes in cellular plasticity throughout
life, consequently leading to hormonal output changes. The intermediate filament
nestin plays a crucial role in cells that retain plasticity during development,
aging and tumorigenesis. Here, we describe robust nestin immunoreactivity in
glial-like cells of the intermediate lobe and in the vasculature of the
developing, adult and aging pituitary gland. Additionally, we report a high
incidence of spontaneous hyperplastic nodules in the anterior lobe of
24-month-old rats. In the nodules, nestin immunoreactivity is increased in blood
vessels and in a few endocrine cells. We also found increased accumulation of
nestin in hyperplastic glial-like cells of the intermediate lobe. This study
suggests that nestin in the pituitary gland is implicated in age-related cellular
plasticity.

2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

DOI: 10.1159/000220994
PMID: 19468198 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

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