INTERRELATIONS 403 



normally supplies a secretion which stimulates the sex glands 

 to activity. 



As bearing upon the relationship between the pituitary and 

 the sexual functions, the work of Erdheim and Stumme is of 

 great interest. These authors describe three types of cell in 

 the glandular part of the pituitary : 



1. Eosinophile granular cells (chromophile 1 ; acidophile). 



2. Basophile granular cells (chromophile 2 ; basophile). 



3. " Hauptzellen " (chief cells ; chromophobe cells) (see 



p. 339). 



The chief cells have very badly defined and poorly staining 

 protoplasm. In pregnancy the pituitary may become hyper- 

 trophied to two or three times its normal size. The increase 

 consists entirely in the glandular portion. There are no longer 

 to be seen either chromophile or chromophobe cells, but there 

 are peculiar large, finely granular cells (the " pregnancy cells "). 

 These are derived from the chief cells, which grow from the 

 centre of the alveolus, and occupy a large part of the secretory 

 structure. These slowly retreat again during the period of 

 involution. 



The pituitary during pregnancy resembles an epithelial 

 tumour. The increase in the amount of secretion is seen by 

 the fact that one can squeeze a milky juice out of the gland. 

 The hypertrophy persists to a certain degree, even after preg- 

 nancy, so that the weight of the gland in a multipara may be 

 three times as great as that of a normal gland. 



Erdheim and Stumme thought that the hypersecretion of the 

 pituitary in pregnancy is manifested by an enlargement of the 

 hands and lips which is sometimes observed. Occasionally, 

 also, there may be more striking symptoms, due to the effects 

 of the pituitary tumour. Among these may be mentioned 

 hemianopia. 



Mayer is of opinion that the pituitary changes are due to 

 functional changes in the ovary in other words, that the 

 pituitary may function vicariously for the ovary. A relation 

 between pituitary and ovary is shown by the fact, already 

 mentioned, that in castrated women and animals there is 

 frequently enlargement of the pituitary. Further, after 

 destructive diseases of the reproductive glands the pituitary 

 reacts by hypertrophying. Mayer is even inclined to believe 



