6100: Foundations of Life’s Functions

Pituitary Gland Histology

Raj Ettarh MD PhD FRSM FAS
 Session learning outcomes (LO)

1. Identify the divisions and cell types of the pituitary gland

2. Correlate structure with function of the cells in the pituitary gland
3. Recognize disorders of cellular structure and function of the pituitary gland

This presentation will provide the learner with a broad and general
understanding of the microscopic structure of the pituitary gland.

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 Session learning outcomes (LO)

Questions to help you understand the structure of the pituitary gland

1. How do we visually identify the cells in the pituitary gland?
2. Why are there 2 parts to the pituitary gland?
3. What happens when injury or disorders affect the pituitary gland?
What am I supposed to learn from this session?
4. Recognize cells in the pituitary gland when you see them.
5. Understand that the roles of the anterior and posterior pituitary.
6. Understanding cellular function in the anterior and posterior pituitary is
fundamentally necessary for determining pathology, disease and
dysfunction.

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 Outline of lecture

1. Overview of pituitary gland

2. Structure of anterior pituitary
a. arrangement and types of cells
b. functional roles
3. Structure of posterior pituitary
a. arrangement and types of cells
b. functional roles

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 Major endocrine glands • Controls and integrates – Reproduction
• Exocrine glands
– Nonhormonal substances (sweat, saliva)
– Growth and development – Have ducts to carry secretion to membrane
– Maintenance of electrolyte, water, and surface
nutrient balance of blood • Endocrine glands
Major endocrine glands in which – Regulation of cellular metabolism and energy
balance
– Produce hormones
– Lack ducts
the hormone-secreting cells – Mobilization of body defenses

constitute the majority of the

gland parenchyma. Note that the © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc.

placenta is a temporary organ

developed from maternal and
fetal tissues and is also a major
endocrine organ that secretes Endocrine System: Overview
Figure 16.1 Location of selected endocrine organs of the body.

Pineal gland
Hypothalamus

steroid and protein hormones • Endocrine glands: pituitary, thyroid, Pituitary gland

Thyroid gland
parathyroid, adrenal, and pineal glands
during pregnancy. • Hypothalamus is neuroendocrine organ
Parathyroid glands
(on dorsal aspect
of thyroid gland)
Thymus
• Some have exocrine and endocrine
-Ross & Pawlina: Histology - a text and functions
atlas, Adrenal glands
– Pancreas, gonads, placenta
7th edition. • Other tissues and organs that produce
Pancreas

hormones Gonads
Ovary (female)
– Adipose cells, thymus, and cells in walls of Testis (male)
small intestine, stomach, kidneys, and heart

© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc.

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 Overview of pituitary gland

1. Also known as the hypophysis, works in tandem with the hypothalamus

(hypothalamic-pituitary axis)

2. Connected physically and functionally to the hypothalamus

3. Produces hormones

4. Small bean-shaped, pea-sized gland in the sella turcica at the base of the
brain

5. Composed of glandular epithelial tissue (anterior pituitary, adenohypophysis)

and neural secretory tissue (posterior pituitary, neurohypophysis)

6. Anterior and posterior pituitary share a common dense connective tissue

capsule derived from dura matter

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 Structure of Anterior Pituitary
Consists of 3 regions:
• Pars distalis
• Pars intermedia
• Pars tuberalis

All regions produce hormones

and therefore have secretory
granules within the cytoplasm
and well developed rough
endoplasmic reticulum.

Classification: cell types can be

classified based on staining
properties or on type of
hormone produced.

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 Anterior Pituitary: cell types

Classification of cell types

Morphology/Appearance Functional Hormone produced

Based on staining properties Based on hormone produced
Pars distalis • Somatotropes 40% • Growth hormone
• Acidophils
• Largest and most • Lactotropes • Prolactin
important region
• Corticotropes • ACTH
• Cells arranged in
• Basophils • Gonadotropes 10% • FSH, LH
thick branching
cords alongside • Thyrotropes • TSH
wide fenestrated
Folliculo-stellate cells • None
capillaries
• alpha-melanocyte-
Pars intermedia
stimulating hormone
• Not well-defined, contains colloid-filled cysts (alpha-MSH)
Pars tuberalis • FSH
• Thin collar of tissue containing cuboidal basophilic epithelial cells • LH

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 Structure of Posterior Pituitary
Consists of 2 regions:
• Pars nervosa
• Infundibulum
• Median eminence
(connection to
hypothalamus)

Median eminence stores

hormones that regulate anterior
pituitary: CRH, dopamine,
GHRH, GnRH, somatostatin, TRH.

Pars nervosa and Infundibulum:

consists of unmyelinated axons,
and pituicytes (supporting cells).
Secrete ADH and oxytocin.

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 a. Photomicrograph of a pituitary gland.
Lobes of the pituitary gland can be
identified on the basis of their
appearance, location, and relation to
each other.
b. This drawing shows parts of the
pituitary gland and related regions of
the hypothalamus. The anterior lobe of
the pituitary gland consists of the pars
distalis, pars tuberalis, and pars
intermedia; the posterior lobe consists
of the infundibulum and pars nervosa.
-Ross & Pawlina: Histology - a text and
atlas, 7th edition.

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 Pars distalis and Pars intermedia
Photomicrograph of
Pars distalis stained with
toluidine blue–stained
brilliant crystal scarlet,
specimen shows the pars
aniline blue, and Martius
intermedia located
yellow to distinguish the
between the pars distalis
various cell types and
(on the left) and pars
connective tissue
nervosa (on the right). In
stroma. The cords of
humans, this portion of the
cells are surrounded by
gland is somewhat
a delicate connective
rudimentary. However, a
tissue stroma stained
characteristic feature of
blue. The sinusoidal
the pars intermedia is the
capillaries are seen in
presence of different-sized
close association with
follicles filled with colloid
the parenchyma and
(CF) and small groups of
contain erythrocytes
cells consisting of
stained yellow. In the
chromophobes and
region shown here, the
basophils.
acidophils (Ac) are the
-Ross & Pawlina: Histology -
most numerous cell type
a text and atlas, 7th
present.
edition.
-Ross & Pawlina:
Histology - a text and
atlas, 7th edition.

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 Pituitary gland
A, acidophils Upper image
B, basophils Sagittal section of pituitary gland. The posterior lobe of the gland is
C, chromophobes delineated by the dashed line (indicated by arrows) that separates it
Cap, capillaries from the anterior lobe. The pars nervosa (PN) is the expanded portion of
Caps, capsule the posterior lobe that is continuous with the infundibulum. The pars
Cl, cleft tuberalis (PT) of the anterior lobe is located around the infundibular stem
Cy, cysts but may cover the pars nervosa to a variable extent. The pars
PD, pars distalis intermedia (PI) is a narrow band of tissue that lies between the pars
PI, pars intermedia distalis (PD) and the pars nervosa. It borders a small cleft (Cl) that
PN, pars nervosa constitutes the remains of the lumen of Rathke’s pouch. The pars distalis,
PT, pars tuberalis. the anterior lobe of the gland, is its largest part. It contains a variety of
cell types that are not uniformly distributed. This accounts for differences
-Ross & Pawlina: in staining (light and dark staining areas) that are seen throughout the
Histology - a text pars distalis.
and atlas, 7th -Ross & Pawlina: Histology - a text and atlas, 7th edition.
edition.

Lower left images

Acidophils (A) and Basophils (B) in a region of the pars distalis. The
acidophils are readily identified by the acidophilic staining of their
cytoplasm, in contrast to the basophils whose cytoplasm is clearly
basophilic. Chromophobes (C) are also very numerous in this field. The
cytoplasm stains poorly in contrast to that of the acidophils and
basophils. The cells are arranged in cords and clumps, between which
are capillaries (Cap), some of which can be recognized, but most are in
a collapsed state and difficult to visualize at this magnification.
-Ross & Pawlina: Histology - a text and atlas, 7th edition.

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 Pituitary gland
A, acidophils
B, basophils
C, chromophobes
Cap, capillaries
Caps, capsule
Cl, cleft
Cy, cysts
PD, pars distalis
PI, pars intermedia
PN, pars nervosa
PT, pars tuberalis.

-Ross & Pawlina:

Histology - a text
and atlas, 7th
edition.

Lower right image

Small portion of pars distalis (PD); the remainder reveals the pars
intermedia (PI) of the anterior lobe. The pars distalis shown here contains
numerous capillaries filled with red blood cells, thus producing the bright
red appearance. The pars intermedia contains a number of small cysts
(Cy). The cells that make up the pars intermedia, which is relatively small
in humans, consist of small basophils and chromophobes. The basophils
have taken up the blue stain, thus making them prominent. To the
extreme right is a less cellular area, the pars nervosa (PN).
-Ross & Pawlina: Histology - a text and atlas, 7th edition.

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 Pituitary gland
A, acidophils Upper image
B, basophils Pars distalis showing an almost equal distribution of acidophils (A,
C, chromophobes reddish or rust color) and basophils (B, reddish blue to deep blue). The
Cap, capillaries clumps and cords of cells are delineated by strands of connective tissue
Caps, capsule (stained blue) that surround them. A number of engorged capillaries
HB, Herring bodies (Cap) containing red blood cells (stained yellow) are also seen.
P, pituicytes Chromophobes (C) stain a pale-blue color. Inset shows the three cell
types at higher magnification. The secretory granules of the acidophils
(A) and basophils (B) are just discernable. It is the granules that stain and
-Ross & Pawlina: provide the overall coloration to the two cell types. In contrast, the
Histology - a text chromophobe (C) lacks granules and simply reveals a pale-blue
and atlas, 7th background color.
edition. -Ross & Pawlina: Histology - a text and atlas, 7th edition.

Lower left image

Pars nervosa containing pituicytes, and unmyelinated nerve fibers from
the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus. The
pituicytes (P) are comparable with neuroglial cells of the central nervous
system. In H&E preparations, the cytoplasm of the pituicyte cannot be
distinguished from the unmyelinated nerve fibers. The stored
neurosecretory material in the nerve fibers appears as Herring bodies
(HB) — small islands of eosin-stained substance. Interspersed among the
nerve fibers are capillaries (Cap).
-Ross & Pawlina: Histology - a text and atlas, 7th edition.

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 Pituitary gland
A, acidophils Dilated portions of axons near their
B, basophils terminals called Herring bodies (HB)
C, chromophobes contain numerous neurosecretory
Cap, capillaries vesicles filled with either oxytocin or
Caps, capsule ADH. They are surrounded by the
HB, Herring bodies specialized glial cells called
P, pituicytes pituicytes (P). Note that Herring
bodies reside in close proximity to
blood vessels (BV), mainly
-Ross & Pawlina: fenestrated capillaries, lined by
Histology - a text endothelial cells (En).
and atlas, 7th -Ross & Pawlina: Histology - a text
edition. and atlas, 7th edition.

Lower right image

Pars nervosa: the aniline blue has stained the nuclei of the pituicytes (P);
the nerve fibers have taken up some of the stain to give a light-blue
background. Herring bodies (HB) appear as the dark black islands. (Inset
shows Herring body at high magnification). The granular texture of the
Herring body as seen here is a reflection of the accumulated secretory
granules in the nerve terminals. Also of note in this specimen are the
capillaries (Cap), which are prominent as a result of the contrasting red
staining of the red blood cells within them.
-Ross & Pawlina: Histology - a text and atlas, 7th edition.

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 References & recommended readings

❖ Recommended reading:
• ROSS, M. H.; PAWLINA, W.; Histology: A Text and Atlas (7th edition) Williams and
Wilkins. VitalBook file

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