MORPHOLOGY OF THE HYPOPHYSIS 

 RELATED TO ITS FUNCTION 



Herbert D. Purves, M.Sc, M.B., Ch.B. 



DIRECTOR, ENDOCRINOLOGY RESEARCH 

 OTAGO UNIVERSITY, DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND 



I. Introduction I(i2 



II. Embryonic Development 1(52 



III. Anatomic Subdivisions of the Hy- 



pophysis. Definition of Terms. 1(53 



A. Anatomic Divisions and Com- 



ponents 1(53 



B. Histologic Divisions of the Hy- 



pophysis: Functional Parts. . . . KKi 



C. Zones in the Pars Anterior and 



Pars Distalis 1(57 



IV. A General Statement of the Prob- 



lems OF THE Special Cytology of 



the Hypophysis 1(57 



V. Secretory Granules 1(58 



A. The Nature of Secretory Granules 1G8 



B. The Staining Reactions of Secre- 



tory Granules by Modern Meth- 

 ods 1(59 



VI. Cell Classes and Cell Types.... 171 



A. Classification 171 



B. Favorable Species 172 



C. Reactivity 172 



D. Specificity of Granules 173 



E. Changes in Cell Proportions with 



Alteration in Function 173 



VII. The Acidophil Cell Class 174 



A. Acidophil Granules 174 



B. Lipoid Content of Acidophil 



Granules 174 



C. Sulfydryl and Disulfide Content 



of Acidophil Granules 175 



D. Hormone Content of Acidophil 



Cells 175 



E. Hormone Content of Acidophil 



Granules 176 



F. Acidophil Cell Types 176 



G. Secretory Functions of Acidophil 



Cell Types 178 



H. Acidophil Cells in Relation to 



Somatotrophin Secretion 180 



VIII. The Basophil Cell Class 181 



A. Basophil Granules 181 



B. Hormone Content of Basophil 



Cells 183 



C. Hormone Content of Basophil 



Granules 183 



D. Does the Periodic Acid-Schiff Re- 



action Demonstrate the Hor- 

 mone Content of Basophil 

 Cells? 183 



E. Differential Staining of Basophil 



Cells by Resorcin-Fuchsin, 

 Kresofuchsin, Aldehyde-Fuch- 

 sin, and Alcian Blue: (3-Cells 

 and 5-Cells 184 



F. The Nomenclature of Basophil 



Cells 187 



G. Specific Basophil Cell Types... 187 

 H. The Three Fimctional Types of 



Basophil Cell in the Rat Hy- 

 pophysis 188 



I. The Pars Anterior of the Bat with 

 Special Reference to Tw^o Types 



of Gonadotrophs 194 



IX. Corticotrophin: the Problem of 



Its Origin 195 



A. Basophil Cells and Corticotro- 



phin 195 



B. Hypophyseal Responses to Adre- 



nal Ablation 196 



C. Hvpophvseal Responses to Stress . 197 



D. The Sixth Cell Type 198 



X. The Pars Intermedia and Inter- 

 medin Secretion 198 



XI. The Pars Tuberalis 201 



XII. Cytologic Changes Accompanying 

 Secretory Responses Concerned 

 WITH Reproductive Function... 201 



A. Sexual Maturation in the Rat. . . 201 



B. Sexual Maturation in Other Ani- 



mals 202 



C. Seasonal Breeding 202 



D. Induced Sexual Maturation in 



the Female Rat 202 



E. The Active Breeding Phase in the 



Female 203 



F. Pseudopregnancy and Pregnancy. 204 



G. Pregnancy Changes in the Human 



Hj'pophysis 204 



161 



