THE HISTOCHEMISTRY OF THE HUMAN PITUITARY BODY. I. PRELIMINARY REPORT, INCLUDING A DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN BASOPHILS OF THE ANTERIOR AND POSTERIOR LOBES*

Abstract

Results with the periodic acid-Schiff reaction, hematoxy-lin and eosin, the aldehyde fuchsin-trichrome method and the naphthol AS- and alpha-naphthol-acetate techniques were evaluated in neutral formalin fixed, paraffin embedded consecutive sections of more than 100 human pituitary glands. Essentially identical staining of anterior lobe basophils in the adult gland was observed in all methods. In contrast to this, those basophils which had invaded the posterior lobe were generally devoid of AS- and alpha-esterase activity, although they retained hematox-ylin, PAS and aldehyde fuchsin reactivity. Intermediate lobe basophils approximated the latter cells in their staining reactions. In fetal and pre-pubertal hypophyses, some anterior lobe basophils ("fetal" cells) also presented a decreased aliesterase complement.