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Histology of Endocrine Glands
Histology of Endocrine Glands
2015
a
The Pituitary Gland
(Hypophysis Cerebri)
• “Master endocrine gland”.
• Parts:
Adenohypophysis
(Anterior Pituitary): consist
of pars distalis, pars
intermedia & pars tuberalis.
Neurohypophysis
(Posterior Pituitary): consist
of pars nervosa, infundibular
stalk & median eminence.
Adenohypophysis
Pars Distalis:
• Cells are arranged as irregular cords in between thin-walled
fenestrated sinusoids.
• Consists of 2 major group of cells: chromophils & chromophobes.
• Chromophils are of 2 types: basophils & acidophils.
Pars Intermedia:
• Poorly developed in humans.
• Consists mainly of basophils.
• Presence of colloid filled vesicles.
• Some cells produce melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH).
Pars Tuberalis:
• Consists of chromophilic (mostly basophilic) & chromophobic cells.
Neurohypophysis
Consists of:
• Numerous non-myelinated nerve fibres
• Supporting cells (pituicytes)
• Sinusoids
Produce 2 hormones:
• Oxytocin
• Vasopressin
Herring bodies: collection of secretory granules at the terminal
portion of axonal processing.
Posterior Pituitary
Hypophysis
(Mallory-Azan & orange G. stain)
Cells and hormones of the anterior pituitary
LM Cell type Hormone Releasing (+) or
staining inhibiting (-) horm.
Acidophil Somatotrophs Growth hormone (GH) GHRH (+)
= somatotropin Somatostatin (-)
Basophil
Posterior Pituitary
• Hormones
– Antidiuretic hormone (ADH = arginine vasopressin)
– Oxytocin
• Neurosecretion
– Hormones synthesized as part of larger proteins (neurophysins)
in neuron cell bodies of hypothalamus.
– Transported in axons to pars nervosa (hormone cleaved from
neurophysin).
– Hormone secreted from axon terminals into capillaries.
• Pituicytes
– Specialized glia of pars nervosa.
Pars intermedia,
between anterior and
posterior pituitary
Anterior Posterior
Intermedia
Pars intermedia (rat pituitary)
Rathke's pouch
THYROID GLAND
Microscopic structure
• The gland is surrounded by a thin
fibrous capsule.
• Septa from the capsule extend into
the gland & divide it into lobules.
• Lobules are made up of spherical
masses called follicles.
• Follicle has a cavity filled with
homogenous material called
colloid.
• Follicular cells are normally
cuboidal in shape.
• Secrete 2 hormones: tri-
iodothyronine (T3) & tetra-
iodothyronine (T4) or thyroxine.
Microscopic structure (contd…..)
Parafollicular cells (C-cells):
• Embedded within a follicle
or lie between follicles.
• Singly or in groups.
• Cells are polyhedral with
oval eccentric nucleus and
cytoplasm contains
secretory granules.
• Light staining cells.
• Secrete hormone calcitonin.
Parathyroid Gland
• Small ovoid bodies (4 in no.)
embedded in the connective tissue
capsule on the posterior surface of
thyroid gland.
• Consists of 2 types of cells:
Chief cells (principal cells): more
numerous, polygonal, round
centrally located nucleus & mildly
eosinophilic cytoplasm, secrete
parathyroid hormone (PTH).
Oxyphil cells: larger in shape, deep
acidophilic cytoplasm.
Parathyroid Gland (H&E stain)
Adrenal Gland
(Suprarenal Gland)
Microscopic structure (low power)
capsule
• The gland is
covered by
connective tissue
capsule.
cortex
• Capsule sends
septa inside the
gland.
• 2 parts:
medulla
Cortex
Medulla
Microscopic structure (low power)
Mineralocorticoid
Zona glomerulosa
(aldosterone)
Cortex
Glucocorticoids
Zona fasciculata (cortisol)
Androgen
(dehydroepiandrosterone)
Zona reticularis & Estrogen
Catecholamines
Medulla (epinephrine &
norepinephrine)
Adrenal Cortex
3 layers:
• Zona Glomerulosa: cells are
arranged as rounded clusters
separated by thin connective
tissue. Cells are columnar with
dark staining nuclei and
acidophilic cytoplasm.
• Zona Fasciculata: thick zone,
large pale staining polyhedral
cells arranged into parallel
columns 1-2 cell thick.
• Zona Reticularis: small rounded
deep staining cells arranged in
branching & anastomosing cords.
Adrenal Medulla
Capsule
• Cells are large, epitheloid &
arranged in groups.
• Cells are closely related to Cortex
sinusoidal capillaries.
• Cytoplasm is light basophilic
with H&E stain.
• Chromaffin reaction: Tissue
fixation with potassium
bichromate shows fine brown Medulla
granules in the cells of
medulla.
References
1. diFiore’s Atlas of Histology with functional
Correlations, 12th Edition.
a. Chromophils
b. Chromophobes
c. Herring bodies
d. Pituicytes
MCQ
Q2. Parafollicular cells is a specific feature of:
a. Pituitary
b. Thyroid
c. Parathyroid
d. Suprarenal
MCQ
Q3. The epithelial lining of thyroid follicles in
resting phase is:
a. Squamous
b. Cuboidal
c. Columnar
d. Transitional
MCQ
Q4. Increased amount of lipid droplets are found
in cells of which zone of adrenal gland?
a. Zona glomerulosa
b. Zona fasciculata
c. Zona reticularis
d. All of the above
MCQ
Q5. Chromaffin reaction is depicted by which
endocrine gland?
a. Pituitary
b. Thyroid
c. Parathyroid
d. Suprarenal