Unique features of secretory granules observed in the pituitary growth hormone-secreting (GH) cells of the musk shrew (Suncus murinus L)

Abstract

Unique rod-shaped secretory granules were observed among oval or spherical secretory granules in GH cells of the anterior pituitary gland of musk shrew using the protein A-gold procedure combined with electron microscopy. The rod-shaped and spherical secretory granules were both immunoreactive by the immuno-gold method using antiserum to sheep GH. The rod-shaped secretory granules, which seem to be formed directly from the Golgi vesicles, extend from several hundred to several thousand nm in length. They often touch each other and fuse. The spherical secretory granules are also unique in that they may also fuse with loss of dense contents to leave "empty" circular membrane profiles in the cytoplasm. Both the rod-shaped and spherical secretory granules are secreted from the cell by exocytosis.