本實驗使用連續細胞免疫墨點分析法(Sequential Cell Immunoblot Assay; SCIBA)和共軛焦顯微鏡(含有可供測定細胞內鈣離子濃度變動的技術) 分別來檢測單一泌乳素細胞(Lactotroph)分泌泌乳素(Prolactin; PRL)與胞質內鈣離子濃度變動，以瞭解兩者的關係。結果發現Lactotroph可分為4種類型：第一類型細胞約佔51%，當接受甲釋素 (Thyrotropin releasing hormone; TRH)刺激時會釋放PRL並升高胞質鈣離子含量；第二類型細胞佔17%，當接受TRH刺激時並無PRL之分泌，但胞質鈣離子含量卻有升高的變化；第三類型細胞佔22%，當接受TRH刺激時可釋放PRL但胞質鈣離子含量並無變動；第四類型細胞約佔10%，當接受TRH刺激時既無PRL釋放，胞質鈣離子含量亦無變動。此四種類型之Lactotroph表現出不同反應，有可能與Lactotroph細胞膜上TRH的接受器之密度有關，其機制有待更進一步的研究證實。
In this study, we investigated the relation between prolactin (PRL) scretion and cytosolic Ca release in the same lactotroph by Sequential Cell Immunoblot Assay (SCIBA) and Confocus Microscope Fluorescence Image Determination respectively. The results showed that the lactotrophs had four classes:the first class, to be the most population about 51%, the lactotrophs exposed to 100 nM thyrotropin release hormone (TRH) had positive response in the increase of both PRL secretion and cytolics Ca content; the second class, about 17% only the Ca release were increased, but not the PRL secretion; the third class, about 22%, only the PRL secretion were increased, but not the Ca release; and the last, to be the least population about 10%, neither PRL secretion nor Ca release was increased. The mechanism of the different responses in these four classes were unknown. It is possible that the density of the TRH receptor in the lactotroph membrane may be correlated. Further evidences remain under investigation.
