A chromophobe is a

histological Histology, also known as microscopic anatomy or microanatomy, is the branch of biology which studies the microscopic anatomy of biological tissues. Histology is the microscopic counterpart to gross anatomy, which looks at larger structures vis ...

structure that does not

stain A stain is a discoloration that can be clearly distinguished from the surface, material, or medium it is found upon. They are caused by the chemical or physical interaction of two dissimilar materials. Accidental staining may make materials app ...

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 gland In vertebrate anatomy, the pituitary gland, or hypophysis, is an endocrine gland, about the size of a chickpea and weighing, on average, in humans. It is a protrusion off the bottom of the hypothalamus at the base of the brain. The ...

, the others being

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 inflammat ...

and

acidophils 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 pepti ...

. One type of chromophobe cell is known as amphophils. Amphophils are epithelial cells found in the anterior and intermediate lobes of the pituitary. Together, these epithelial cells are responsible for producing the hormones of the anterior pituitary and releasing them into the bloodstream.

Melanotroph A melanotroph (or melanotrope) is a cell in the pituitary gland that generates melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α‐MSH) from its precursor pro-opiomelanocortin Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) is a precursor polypeptide with 241 amino acid residues. ...

s (also, Melanotropes) are another type of chromophobe which secrete

melanocyte-stimulating hormone The melanocyte-stimulating hormones, known collectively as MSH, also known as melanotropins or intermedins, are a family of peptide hormones and neuropeptides consisting of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), β-melanocyte-stimulating h ...

(MSH).

Clinical significance

"Chromophobe" also refers to a type of

renal cell carcinoma Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a kidney cancer that originates in the lining of the proximal convoluted tubule, a part of the very small tubes in the kidney that transport primary urine. RCC is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults, resp ...

(distinct from "clear cell"). Chromophobe renal cancer is part of a rare, genetic disorder known as

Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome (BHD), also Hornstein–Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome, Hornstein–Knickenberg syndrome, and fibrofolliculomas with trichodiscomas and acrochordons is a human autosomal dominant genetic disorder that can cause suscept ...

. While renal cell carcinoma is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers, chromophobe renal cancer only accounts for five percent of renal cancer cases. Furthermore, 30% of patients with Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome will also develop chromophobe renal cancer. One of the only treatments for this type of cancer is to have surgery to remove any tumors that may be present.Vera-Badillo, Francisco Emilio, Esther Conde, and Ignacio Duran. "Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Review of an Uncommon Entity." ''International Journal of Urology'' 19.10 (2012): 894-900. Web.

References

{{Authority control Staining