5 - pathology of pituitary/adrenal

Question 1

what cells make up anterior & posterior pituitary gland?

Answer 1

anterior = adenohypophysis (think glandular - different cells make each hormone)
posterior = neurohypophysis (big collection of axonal projections, don’t make hormones just secrete)

Question 2

which hormones are made by the following cells of anterior pituitary
a) corticotrophs
b) thyrotrophs
c) lactotrophs
d) gonadotrophs
e) somatotrophs
f) mammo somatotrophs

Answer 2

a) ACTH
b) TSH
c) prolactin
d) FSH & LH
e) growth hormone (GH)
f) both GH & prolactin

Question 3

what colour on histology slides does each of the anterior pituitary cells make? (pink & purple)

Answer 3

pink (eosinophilic & acidic) = somatotrophs, lactotrophs
purple (basophilic) = corticotrophs, thyrotrophs, gonadotrophs

Question 4

what cells make up adrenal gland?

Answer 4

cortex = zona glomerulosa, fasciculata, reticularis
medulla = chromaffin cells