Hypothalamic Contribution to Pituitary Functions Is Recapitulated In Vitro Using 3D-Cultured Human iPS Cells

Abstract

Summary: The pituitary is a major hormone center that secretes systemic hormones responding to hypothalamus-derived-releasing hormones. Previously, we reported the independent pituitary induction and hypothalamic differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Here, a functional hypothalamic-pituitary unit is generated using human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells in vitro. The adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion capacity of the induced pituitary reached a comparable level to that of adult mouse pituitary because of the simultaneous maturation with hypothalamic neurons within the same aggregates. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) from the hypothalamic area regulates ACTH cells similarly to our hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Our induced hypothalamic-pituitary units respond to environmental hypoglycemic condition in vitro, which mimics a life-threatening situation in vivo, through the CRH-ACTH pathway, and succeed in increasing ACTH secretion. Thus, we generated powerful hybrid organoids by recapitulating hypothalamic-pituitary development, showing autonomous maturation on the basis of interactions between developing tissues. : Kasai et al. generate a functional hypothalamic-pituitary unit using human iPS cells. The ACTH secretion capacity of induced pituitary cells reaches the same level as adult mice anterior pituitary cells. The hypothalamic-pituitary unit responds to environmental stimulation such as low glucose through the CRH-ACTH pathway. Keywords: pituitary, hypothalamus, human iPS cells, 3D culture, self-organization, interaction, organoid, functional unit