Simultaneous localization of steroid and peptide hormones in rat pituitary by combined thaw-mount autoradiography and immunohistochemistry: localization of dihydrotestosterone in gonadotropes, thyrotropes and pituicytes.

The immunocharacteristics of androgen target cells in the anterior pituitary of male rats are assessed by a combined thaw-mount autoradiography and immunoperoxidase staining method permitting the simultaneous identification of steroid-hormone target cells and protein or polypeptide hormone-producing cells in the same preparation. After injection of 3H-dihydrotestosterone, nuclear concentration of radioactivity is observed in cells of the anterior lobe, in "ectopic" cells in the intermediate and posterior lobes as well as in certain pituicytes. The radioactively labeled cells in the anterior lobe are identified immuno-histochemically as gonadotropes and thyrotropes with the use of antiserum to ovine LH or its subunit beta-LH and bovine beta-TSH. The results suggest genomic effects of androgen on gonadotropes and thyrotropes as well as pituicytes.