In the
anterior pituitary, the term "acidophil" is used to describe two different types of cells which stain well with acidic dyes.
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somatotroph
Somatotropes (from the Greek ''sōmat'' meaning "body" and ''tropikós'' meaning "of or pertaining to a turn or change") are cells in the anterior pituitary that produce growth hormone.
Structure
Somatotropic cells constitute about 30−40% of a ...
s, which secrete
growth hormone
Growth hormone (GH) or somatotropin, also known as human growth hormone (hGH or HGH) in its human form, is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration in humans and other animals. It is thus important in h ...
(a peptide hormone)
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lactotrophs, which secrete
prolactin
Prolactin (PRL), also known as lactotropin, is a protein best known for its role in enabling mammals to produce milk. It is influential in over 300 separate processes in various vertebrates, including humans. Prolactin is secreted from the pit ...
(a peptide hormone)
When using standard staining techniques, they cannot be distinguished from each other (though they can be distinguished from
basophils
Basophils are a type of white blood cell. Basophils are the least common type of granulocyte, representing about 0.5% to 1% of circulating white blood cells. However, they are the largest type of granulocyte. They are responsible for inflammator ...
and
chromophobes
A chromophobe is a histological structure that does not stain readily, and thus appears relatively pale under the microscope.
Chromophobe cells are one of three cell stain types present in the anterior and intermediate lobes of the pituitary glan ...
),
and are therefore identified simply as "acidophils".
See also
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Acidophile (histology)
Acidophile (or acidophil, or, as an adjectival form, acidophilic) is a term used by histologists to describe a particular staining pattern of cells and tissues when using haematoxylin and eosin stains. Specifically, the name refers to structures ...
*
Basophilic
Basophilic is a technical term used by pathologists. It describes the appearance of cells, tissues and cellular structures as seen through the microscope after a histological section has been stained with a basic dye. The most common such dye i ...
*
Oxyphil cell
References
{{Authority control
Histology