Ultrastructural and functional characteristics of anterior pituitary cells in the Indian fruit bat, Rousettus leschenaulti (Desmarest).

The pituitary glands of normal and experimental male and female bats were examined by light and electron microscopy. Six cell types were identified in the anterior pituitary by differential staining techniques, ultrastructural characteristics and changes brought about during the different phases of the sexual cycle. Conventional methods like removal of thyroids, testes and adrenals, and animals in lactation withdrawal and treatment with propylthio-uracil, cyproterone acetate and metyrapone were employed. A marked predominance of somatotrophin and luteotrophin (LTH) cells were present in the intact adult female bat pituitary gland. LTH cells were also observed in milk retention experiments. The two gonadotrophic cell types were randomly distributed throughout the gland. Hypertrophy of two gonadotroph cells was observed in response to the physiological conditions of the animals, gonadectomy and administration of the male antifertility drug cyproterone acetate. Thyrotrophin and adrenocorticotrophin cells were identified by ablation of the respective target organs, thyroids and adrenals, and after treatment with propylthio-uracil and metyrapone. On the basis of the pathological conditions of the bats, the possible functional significance of the different cell types is also discussed.