Duru Baykal, Ömer Sönmez and Aydin Sav*

School of Medicine, Department of Medical Pathology, Yeditepe University, Türkiye

*Corresponding Author: Aydin Sav, Aydin Sav, School of Medicine, Department of Medical Pathology, Yeditepe University, Türkiye.

Received: February 20, 2023; Published: March 24, 2023

Abstract

The pituitary gland is a pea-sized gland located at the sella turcica and has major impacts on the hormonal balance of human body which is regulated by the inputs received from hypothalamus. Hypophysis is composed of two main structures, which are responsi- ble for the secretion of different hormones. These cells with different functions are derived from special pituitary stem cells (PSCs) during the embryogenesis. It is a well-established fact that the stem cells are a potential treatment option for the treatment of a wide spectrum of pathologies. Integration of PSCs to the treatment approaches requires a lot of investigation related to the biological properties of these highly capable cells. Therefore, the goal of our review article is to summarize and present the latest findings concerning PSCs. The following article focuses on the anatomy and the cells of the pituitary, and the possible stem cells of the gland. The stem cell candidates discussed in detail are Folliculostellate cells, Follicular cells, Marginal cells, Side population cells, Pituitary colony-forming cells, SOX2+ cell population and GFRa2/Prop1/Stem cells. We strongly believe that our review concerning the afore- mentioned topics provides detailed information for the researchers and physicians working on pituitary pathologies and PSCs.

Keywords: Pituitary Stem Cells; Folliculostellate Cells; Marginal Cells; SOX2+ Cell

References

1. Gao Y and Sun T. “Molecular regulation of hypothalamic development and physiological functions”. Molecular Neurobiology7 (2016): 4275-4285.
2. Alatzoglou KS., et al. “Development of the Pituitary Gland”. Comprehensive Physiology2 (2020): 389-413.
3. Amar AP and Weiss MH. “Pituitary anatomy and physiology”. Neurosurgery Clinics of North America1 (2003): 11-15.
4. Elster AD., et al. “Size and shape of the pituitary gland during pregnancy and post-partum: measurement with MR imaging”. Radiology 2 (1991): 531-535.
5. Perez-Castro C., et al. “Cellular and molecular specificity of pituitary gland physiology”. Physiological Reviews1 (2012): 1-38.
6. Tekiner H., et al. “Sella turcica: an anatomical, endocrinological, and historical perspective”. Pituitary 4 (2015): 575-578.
7. Larkin S and Ansorge O. “Development and Microscopic Anatomy Of The Pituitary Gland”. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al., eds. Endotext. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc (2017).
8. Vankelecom H. “Stem cells in the postnatal pituitary?” Neuroendocrinology2 (2007): 110-130.
9. Ganapathy MK and Tadi P. “Anatomy, Head and Neck, Pituitary Gland”. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing (2021).
10. Ooi GT., et al. “Pituitary cell lines and their endocrine applications”. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology 1-2 (2014): 1-21.
11. ‌Mescher AL. “Junqueira’s Basic Histology Text and Atlas. 14^th Edition”. McGraw Hill (2015).
12. Vankelecom H. “Stem cells in the postnatal pituitary?” Neuroendocrinology 2 (2007): 110-130.
13. Vankelecom H. “Pituitary stem cells drop their mask”. Current Stem Cell Research and Therapy 1 (2012): 36-71.
14. Vankelecom H. “Non-hormonal cell types in the pituitary candidating for stem cell”. Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology 4 (2007): 559-570.
15. Halász B. “Pituitary Gland Anatomy and Embryology”. Encyclopedia of Endocrine Diseases (2004): 636-643.
16. RINEHART JF and FARQUHAR MG. “Electron microscopic studies of the anterior pituitary gland”. Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry 2 (1953): 93-113.
17. Devnath S and Inoue K. “An insight to pituitary folliculo-stellate cells”. Journal of Neuroendocrinology 6 (2008): 687-691.
18. Nakajima T., et al. “S100 protein in folliculostellate cells of the rat pituitary anterior lobe”. Brain Research2 (1980): 523-531.
19. Redecker P and Fechner J. “Immunohistochemical study of cells positive for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the human pituitary gland, with special reference to folliculo-stellate cells”. Histochemistry3 (1989): 227-234.
20. Tykhomyrov АA., et al. “Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP): on the 45th Anniversary of Its Discovery”. Neurophysiology1 (2016): 54-71.
21. Fauquier T., et al. “Folliculostellate cell network: a route for long-distance communication in the anterior pituitary”. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 15 (2001): 8891-8896.
22. Morand I., et al. “Cell-to-cell communication in the anterior pituitary: evidence for gap junction-mediated exchanges between endocrine cells and folliculostellate cells”. Endocrinology8 (1996): 3356-3367.
23. Allaerts W and Vankelecom H. “History and perspectives of pituitary folliculo-stellate cell research”. European Journal of Endocrinology 1 (2005): 1-12.
24. Gospodarowicz D and Lau K. “Pituitary follicular cells secrete both vascular endothelial growth factor and follistatin”. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 1 (1989): 292-298.
25. Traverso V., et al. “Lipocortin 1 (annexin 1): a candidate paracrine agent localized in pituitary folliculo-stellate cells”. Endocrinology9 (1999): 4311-4319.
26. Christian HC., et al. “Characterization and localization of lipocortin 1-binding sites on rat anterior pituitary cells by fluorescence-activated cell analysis/sorting and electron microscopy”. Endocrinology12 (1997): 5341-5351.
27. Taylor AD., et al. “Lipocortin 1 mediates an early inhibitory action of glucocorticoids on the secretion of ACTH by the rat anterior pituitary gland in vitro”. Neuroendocrinology4 (1993): 430-439.
28. Horvath E and Kovacs K. “Folliculo-stellate cells of the human pituitary: a type of adult stem cell?” Ultrastructural Pathology 4 (2002): 219-228.
29. Soji T., et al. “Immunohistochemical study of the post-natal development of the folliculo-stellate cells in the rat anterior pituitary gland”. Tissue Cell1 (1994): 1-8.
30. Höfler H., et al. “Immunohistochemistry of folliculo-stellate cells in normal human adenohypophyses and in pituitary adenomas”. Acta Neuropathology1 (1984): 35-40.
31. Gon G., et al. “Appearance of the cyst- or ductule-like structures and their role in the restoration of the rat pituitary autograft”. The Anatomical Record 4 (1987): 371-378.
32. Shirasawa N., et al. “Pituitary folliculo-stellate cells immunostained with S-100 protein antiserum in postnatal, castrated and thyroidectomized rats”. Cell Tissue Research2 (1983): 235-249.
33. Inoue K., et al. “The structure and function of folliculo-stellate cells in the anterior pituitary gland”. Archives of Histology and Cytology 3 (1999): 205-218.
34. Inoue K., et al. “Are folliculo-stellate cells in the anterior pituitary gland supportive cells or organ-specific stem cells?” Archives of Physiology and Biochemistry 1-2 (2002): 50-53.
35. Mogi C., et al. “Differentiation of skeletal muscle from pituitary folliculo-stellate cells and endocrine progenitor cells”. Experimental Cell Research 2 (2004): 288-294.
36. Clarke DL., et al. “Generalized potential of adult neural stem cells?” Science 288.5471 (2000): 1660-1663.
37. Yoshimura F., et al. “Development and differentiation of rat pituitary follicular cells under normal and some experimental conditions with special reference to an interpretation of renewal cell system”. Endocrinology Japan5 (1977): 435-449.
38. Yamashita M., et al. “Immunohistochemical study on so-called follicular cells and folliculostellate cells in the human adenohypophysis”. Pathology International 5 (2005): 244-247.
39. Delfin L., et al. “Follicular cells in pituitary neuroendocrine tumors”. Human Pathology 114 (2021): 1-8.
40. Halliday WC., et al. “Intermediate filaments in the human pituitary gland: an immunohistochemical study”. Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences 2 (1990): 131-136.
41. Yoshimura F., et al. “Relationship between the follicular cells and marginal layer cells of the anterior pituitary”. Endocrinology Japan 3 (1977): 301-305.
42. Pals K., et al. “A Pituitary cell type coexpressing messenger ribonucleic acid of proopiomelanocortin and the glycoprotein hormone alpha-subunit in neonatal rat and chicken: rapid decline with age and reappearance in vitro under regulatory pressure of corticotropin-releasing hormone in the rat”. Endocrinology10 (2006): 4738-4752.
43. Gon G., et al. “Cystlike structures derived from the marginal cells of Rathke's cleft in rat pituitary grafts”. Cell and Tissue Research 1 (1987): 29-33.
44. Sav A. “Pituitary Stem/Progenitor Cells: Their Enigmatic Roles in Embryogenesis and Pituitary Neoplasia - A Review Article”. Journal of Neurological Disorders02 (2013).
45. Capela A and Temple S. “LeX/ssea-1 is expressed by adult mouse CNS stem cells, identifying them as nonependymal”. Neuron5 (2002): 865-875.
46. Vankelecom H. “Pituitary stem/progenitor cells: embryonic players in the adult gland”. European Journal of Neuroscience 12 (2010): 2063-2081.
47. Goodell MA., et al. “Isolation and functional properties of murine hematopoietic stem cells that are replicating in vivo”. Journal of Experimental Medicine 4 (1996): 1797-1806.
48. Lendahl U., et al. “CNS stem cells express a new class of intermediate filament protein”. Cell4 (1990): 585-595.
49. Mertens F., et al. “Pituitary tumors contain a side population with tumor stem cell-associated characteristics”. Endocrine-Related Cancer 4 (2015): 481-504.
50. Androutsellis-Theotokis A., et al. “Notch signalling regulates stem cell numbers in vitro and in vivo”. Nature7104 (2006): 823-826.
51. Yavropoulou MP., et al. “The role of Notch and Hedgehog signaling pathways in pituitary development and pathogenesis of pituitary adenomas”. Hormones (Athens)1 (2015): 5-18.
52. Chen J., et al. “The adult pituitary contains a cell population displaying stem/progenitor cell and early embryonic characteristics”. Endocrinology9 (2005): 3985-3998.
53. Vankelecom H and Gremeaux L. “Stem cells in the pituitary gland: A burgeoning field”. General and Comparative Endocrinology 3 (2010): 478-488.
54. Lepore DA., et al. “Identification and enrichment of colony-forming cells from the adult murine pituitary”. Experimental Cell Research 1 (2005): 166-176.
55. Lepore DA., et al. “A role for angiotensin-converting enzyme in the characterization, enrichment, and proliferation potential of adult murine pituitary colony-forming cells”. Stem Cells11 (206): 2382-2390.
56. Otto C., et al. “Dipeptide uptake by adenohypophysial folliculostellate cells”. American Journal of Physiology 1 Pt 1 (1996): C210-C217.
57. Florio T. “Adult Pituitary Stem Cells”. Adult Stem Cells (2013): 91-109.
58. Lepore DA., et al. “Survival and differentiation of pituitary colony-forming cells in vivo”. Stem Cells 257 (2007): 1730-1736.
59. Millán MIP and Camper SA. “The Biology of Pituitary Stem Cells”. Cellular Endocrinology in Health and Disease (2013): 55-63.
60. Zhang S and Cui W. “Sox2, a key factor in the regulation of pluripotency and neural differentiation”. World Journal of Stem Cells 3 (2013): 305-311.
61. Fauquier T., et al. “SOX2-expressing progenitor cells generate all of the major cell types in the adult mouse pituitary gland”. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 8 (2008): 2907-2912.
62. Rizzoti K., et al. “Mobilized adult pituitary stem cells contribute to endocrine regeneration in response to physiological demand”. Cell Stem Cell4 (2013): 419-432.
63. Ellsworth BS. “’Pituitary Regeneration: It'll Knock Your SOX Off!”. Endocrinology 2 (2016): 452-454.
64. Jayakody SA., et al. “SOX2 regulates the hypothalamic-pituitary axis at multiple levels”. Journal of Clinical Investigation 10 (2012): 3635-3646.
65. Fu Q., et al. “The adult pituitary shows stem/progenitor cell activation in response to injury and is capable of regeneration”. Endocrinology7 (2012): 3224-3235.
66. Willems C., et al. “Regeneration in the Pituitary After Cell-Ablation Injury: Time-Related Aspects and Molecular Analysis”. Endocrinology2 (2016): 705-721.
67. Roose H., et al. “Major depletion of SOX2+ stem cells in the adult pituitary is not restored which does not affect hormonal cell homeostasis and remodelling”. Scientific Reports 1 (2017): 16940.
68. Castinetti F., et al. “Pituitary stem cell update and potential implications for treating hypopituitarism”. Endocrine Reviews 4 (2011): 453-471.
69. Garcia-Lavandeira M., et al. “A GRFa2/Prop1/stem (GPS) cell niche in the pituitary”. PLoS One 3 (2009): e4815.
70. Rizzoti K. “Adult pituitary progenitors/stem cells: from in vitro characterization to in vivo function”. European Journal of Neuroscience 12 (2010): 2053-2062.
71. Ward RD., et al. “Role of PROP1 in pituitary gland growth”. Molecular Endocrinology 3 (2005): 698-710.

Citation

Citation: Aydin Sav., et al. “Pituitary Stem Cells: What We Know So Far (Part 1)". Acta Scientific Neurology 6.4 (2023): 80-89.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2023 Aminur Rahman., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.