Intracellular dynamics in pituitary mammotropes throughout the rat estrous cycle. II. Changes in synthetic and secretory organelles.

The organellar dynamics within mammotropes (prolactin secreting cells) of the anterior pituitary were examined using morphometry throughout the four-day rat estrous cycle. Two predominant periods of maximal organellar activity were found. The first period, which occurred during proestrus, resulted in two peaks of serum PRL at 6 pm and 12 m proestrus, while the second occurred during middiestrus-2 and resulted in an increase of pituitary PRL, but not a major serum PRL peak. The mitochondrial volume rose prior to that of other organelles during early proestrus, rising 110% from 4 am late diestrus-2 to 6 pm proestrus. However, the number of mitochondria per cell remained constant throughout the cycle. The volumes of rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and Golgi complex reached maximal proportions at 8 pm and 12 m proestrus, respectively. The RER volume was 153% greater than at 4 am late diestrus-2, while the Golgi complex had increased by 200%. We suggest that changes in the RER and Golgi complex volumes were the result of two processes: the synthesis of new membrane and the swelling of existing complexes. This study further substantiated that the serum peak of PRL at 6 pm proestrus is the result of stored mature granules being released, whereas the PRL peak at 12 m proestrus is due to the immediate release of hormone without any storage.