Cytological changes in the anterior hypophysis of the mouse following chronic exposure to heat.

For the morphological classification of cell types in the anterior hypophysis of different vertebrates, cytological studies have been undertaken by many investigators, (S chOnemann 1892, Yamada '37a and '37b , Dawson and Friedgood '38, Romeis '40, Dawson '46, Goldberg and Chaikof f '52 and others) and it is believed, in a broad sense, that parenchymatous cells of the anterior hypophysis are composed of three cell types (acidophile, basophile and chromophobe cells). Herewith, many investigations have been attempted to identify a specific type of cell in the hypophysis associated with hormone production. On the basis of morphological studies with pathologic materials and various experimental studies, it has been established that growth promoting hormone is produced by acidophile cells. Although the fact that basophile cells of the anterior hypophysis are responsible for elaboration of gonadotropin and thyrotropin as confirmed by P u r v e s and G r i e s b a c h ('51a and '51b), there is still no agreement concerning pituitary cell type associated with corticotropin secretion. Cytological changes occurring in the anterior hypophysis of non-specifically stressed animals have been extensively investigated by many workers for the purpose of determining the cellular source of corticotropin or other hormones. Chronic exposure of animals to non-specific stress induce a condition in which various hormones in the anterior hypophysis are changed in quantity. And each type of cell of the anterior hypophysis showed a different response to the stress in accordance with changes occurring in various endocrine glands. (Baillif '38,