CHANGES IN THE PITUITARY GONADOTROPHS OF THE VITAMIN E-DEFICIENT MALE RAT

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Abstract
PURVES and Griesbach (1) have reported that in the rat pituitary two different types of gonadotrophic basophils could be found. One of these types was situated at the periphery of the gland in the proximity of the large portal vessels. The other type, less conspicuous in the normal animal, is located preferentially in the central regions of the anterior lobe. These two types of cells were named “peripheral” and “central” gonadotrophs and it was suggested that the peripheral type might be responsible for producing follicle stimulating hormone (FSH cell) while the central gonadotrophs might produce the luteinizing hormone (LH cell). Further evidence in support of this view has been obtained by Purves and Griesbach (2, 3). The existence of two types of gonadotrophs was also convincingly demonstrated by the electron microscopic studies of Farquhar and Rinehart (4).