Immuno-histomorphometric and –fluorescent characteristics of rat GH cells after chronic exposure to moderate heat

摘要

Growth hormone (GH) axis function appears to be changed in the warm milieu. The effect of chronic exposure to moderate heat on immuno-histomorphometric and –fluorescent characteristics of pituitary GH cells, in adult male rats, was examined. The experimental group was exposed to 35±1oC for 30 days, whereas the control group was kept at room temperature during the same period. GH cells were studied using the adequate immunostaining procedures. The body weight of animals in the experimental group was significantly decreased by 24.5% compared to the controls. Immuno-histochemically and –fluorescently identified GH cells in controls were intensely stained, oval in shape, with the centrally located spherical nucleus. In rats exposed to moderate heat the localisation of GH cells was not significantly changed, while their shape was slightly different. They were mostly organized in groups, with darker cytoplasmic regions/higher intensity of immunofluorescence signal throughout the whole cytoplasm. The cellular and nuclear volumes of GH cells in the experimental group were significantly decreased by 16.0% and 9.0% respectively, but the volume density was only slightly decreased in comparison with the controls. These findings suggest that 30 days of continuous exposure of adult male rats to moderately high ambient temperature has an inhibitory effect on the immuno-histomorphometric characteristics and increases the immuno-fluorescence signal of GH cells..