Cytological and cytochemical investigations on the fœtal and adult hypophysis in various physiological and pathological states

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Abstract
In two previous papers (Pearse, 1952aandb) the cytochemistry of the anterior hypophysis and its normal cytology as shown by the trichrome‐periodic acid‐Schiff method were described. The second of these dealt with the use of a primarily histochemical method by which three cell types—mucoid cells, acidophils and chromophobes—can be recognised. The first class includes all cells which contain mucoprotein in diffuse, granular or vesiculate form, and it was shown that all the basophils (cyanophils) of the older terminology and up to 30 per cent. of the chromophobes belonged to the mucoid‐cell series, all of which may reasonably be supposed to be concerned witht he production of the gonadotropic and thyrotropic (mucoprotein) hormones. The mucoid cells were divided into eight types and a differential count of 500–1000 cells was made the basis of a rapid method for estimating the amount of mucoprotein storage and production in the gland. This “Maximal‐Intermediate (M/I) count” usually considers only four or five of the eight cell types, the others being included with the second type as intermediate cells.