Cytology of the Anterior Pituitary Gland of the Post-Menopausal Woman

Abstract

A series of pituitary glands from post-menopausal women was fixed by methods which preserve those cytologi-cal features in the cell which can be correlated with secretory activity. A study of these glands in comparison with those in all age groups from maturity through old age reveals that the ant. lobe of the hypophysis in the post-menopausal woman is hyper-active in the production and release of secretions. This is in contrast to cvtological evidence of a progressive hypofunction normally associated with ageing.