Biology:Acidophil cell

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Acidophil cell
Histology of pars distalis of the anterior pituitary with chromophobes, basophils, and acidophils, annotated.jpg
Microanatomy of the pars distalis of the anterior pituitary, showing chromophobes, basophils, and acidophils
Anatomical terminology

In the anterior pituitary, the term "acidophil" is used to describe two different types of cells which stain well with acidic dyes.

  • somatotrophs, which secrete growth hormone (a peptide hormone)
  • lactotrophs, which secrete prolactin (a peptide hormone)

When using standard staining techniques, they cannot be distinguished from each other (though they can be distinguished from basophils and chromophobes),[1] and are therefore identified simply as "acidophils".

See also

  • Melanotroph

References

  1. Histology image:14002loa from Vaughan, Deborah (2002). A Learning System in Histology: CD-ROM and Guide. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195151732.