The functional cytology of the human adenohypophysis

Abstract

Using a combination of cytological, cytochemical and immunohistological techniques, an endeavour has been made to localize the sources of production of the seven protein and polypeptide hormones of the anterior pituitary gland. For growth hormone, TSH and ACTH, this has been done with reasonable certainty, and FSH and LH have been confirmed as coming from the mucoid cells. Although each of the hormones may be derived from a single cell type, present evidence has suggested that three or perhaps four cell types share the production of the seven known hormones and of any which remain to be discovered.