308 INTERNAL SECRETION 



the diaphragma sella? turcicas and the dura mater, and finally 

 enters the hypophysis, where it terminates in a slightly thickened 

 end. The infundibulum usually enters the hypophysis at the 

 centre of the hilus of the anterior lobe, though occasionally it 

 enters the lobe itself. The tissue connection is always with the 

 infundibular portion only. 



HISTOLOGY. 



The anterior lobe of the hypophysis consists of a connective 

 tissue framework, with longish oval interstices at the periphery and 

 larger rounded ones in the interior. These spaces contain groups 

 of cell columns, which sometimes form glandular tubules provided 

 with a lumen. Flesch divided the glandular cells of the anterior 

 lobe into two classes in accordance with their size, form, and 

 specific colour reactions; namely, the chromophile cells, and the 

 chromophobe or adelomorphous cells. 



Of the chromophile cells, some are spheroid or polyhedral ; 

 with a nearly homogeneous protoplasm, which is full of fine 

 granules and stains strongly with eosin ; while the nuclei are small 

 and round, frequently in the centre of the cell, and stain well with 

 hsematoxylin. These are known as the eosinophile cells. A 

 second group is composed of somewhat large cells, of regular 

 shape, which stain a very good dark blue with haematoxylin ; they 

 are filled with coarse granules, the nuclei are placed eccentrically, 

 and the plasm contains rounded vacuoles. These are known as 

 the cyanophile or basophile cells. 



The chromophobe principal cells (Hauptzellen) are undefined 

 in outline; the plasm is sometimes brittle and does not fix well 

 by the ordinary methods; while the nucleus is large, either round 

 or irregular in shape, and possesses a chromatin network which 

 stains readily. 



The topographical distribution of these three groups of cells 

 is by no means constant. As a general rule, the principal mass 

 of the eosinophile cells is found in the hinder portion of the 

 anterior lobe, while the basophile cells usually lie towards the 

 front. The principal cells are not peculiar to any precise locality, 

 but are characterized by their topographical relationship to the 

 chromophile cells ; they frequently occupy the centre of alveoli or 

 cell cylinders, thus becoming surrounded by chromophile cells. 



The changes which Erdheim and Stumme observed in the 

 I enlarged hypophysis of pregnant women, chiefly take place in 

 the tissue of the anterior lobe of the organ. The cut surface, 

 which is normally grey-red in colour, becomes remarkably light 

 and reddish-grey to grey-white ; it becomes softer and yields a 

 milky juice. These changes in colour and consistency are due 

 to the appearance, in enormous numbers, of a new kind of cell, 

 namely, the pregnancy cells ; and these outnumber the eosinophile 



