The Ultrastructure and Histopathology of an Acidophil Adenoma of the Canine Adenohypophysis

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Abstract
An acidophil adenoma in a 12-year-old spayed boxer dog resulted in clinical signs related to a space-occupying lesion of the hypophysis. There were two types of acidophils, as determined ultrastructurally, within the adenoma. The predominating type was interpreted to be in the storage phase of the secretory cycle as the cytoplasm was densely granulated and the organelles concerned with protein synthesis and packaging of secretory products were poorly developed. The second, less common type contained few secretory granules, had a well developed endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, and was interpreted to be secretorily active. The secretory granules of the neoplastic acidophils were large (420 mμ), uniformly electron-dense, and had a narrow submembranous space. An adenoma of the pancreatic islets was also present.