Electron Microscopic Studies of the Anterior Pituitaries and Adrenal Cortices of Normal and Anencephalic Human Fetuses

The anterior pituitaries and adrenal cortices in five normal and two anencephalic human fetuses were observed by electron microscopy. In the granulated cells of the anterior pituitary of 3 month-fetus, 41% STH-cell type, 10% TSH-cell type, 11% gonadotroph type, 1% ACTH-type cells and 37% unclassifie...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of electron microscopy 1972, Vol.21 (1), p.29-39
Main Authors: SATOW, Yukio, OKAMOTO, Naomasa, IKEDA, Takayoshi, UENO, Takehisa, MIYABARA, Shinichi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adrenal Glands - cytology
Adrenal Glands - pathology
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
Anencephaly - pathology
Female
Fetal Diseases - pathology
Growth Hormone
Humans
Male
Microscopy, Electron
Pituitary Gland - cytology
Pituitary Gland - pathology
Pregnancy
Thyrotropin
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Summary:The anterior pituitaries and adrenal cortices in five normal and two anencephalic human fetuses were observed by electron microscopy. In the granulated cells of the anterior pituitary of 3 month-fetus, 41% STH-cell type, 10% TSH-cell type, 11% gonadotroph type, 1% ACTH-type cells and 37% unclassified cells are observed. In the 5 month-fetus the occurrence of cell types is not so much different from that of the 3 month-fetus. ACTH-cells are increased in number in 9 month-fetus, while only a few ACTH-cells could be seen in the cases of anencephaly of the corresponding fetal age. The finding of the abnormal early involution of the adrenal cortices in anencephalyic fetuses might be related to the decreased number of ACTH-cells in the anterior pituitaries of the anencephalic fetuses.
ISSN:0022-0744
1477-9986
1477-9986
DOI:10.1093/oxfordjournals.jmicro.a049809