Fine structure of prolactin cell of female albino rat as affected by some antifertility drugs--a comparative electron microscopic study.

One antioestrogenic compound as well as some antifertility drugs have been administered to female albino rats over a period of six months to study their long term effects on fine structures in PRL cell. Almost in all the cases, the dynamics of hormone synthesis and secretion have been affected. Fine structure is suggestive of activation of synthetic machinery of the cell. The cell picture under the estradiol valerate regimen presents a transitional stage progressing towards involution due to accelerated cell cycle. Sparse granulation, frequent granule extrusion and misplaced exocytosis under the influence of tamoxifen citrate or levonorgestrel + ethinyloestradiol are similar to those observed in adenomatous PRL cell. Fine structural correlates of stepped up synthesis are also observed following chronic progesterogenic influences of progesterone and norethisterone heptanoate, but the magnitude of the change is on a lower scale. All the fine structural changes have been discussed in the context of ultrastructural pathology.