NEUROHISTOLOGY

LECTURE No. 3

ENDOCRINE GLANDS

BY

DR. J. I. WILSON
 Introduction
• Endocrine tissue is made up of cells that produce secretions which are poured
directly into blood.
• Endocrine cells lie in close apposition to blood capillaries or sinusoids.
• Secretions of endocrine cells are called hormones.
• Hormones travel through blood to target cells and influence their function.
Pituitary gland - Hypophysis Cerebri
 Pituitary Gland
Anterior pituitary gland Posterior pituitary gland
(Adenohypophysis, Pars Distalis) (Neurohypophysis, Pars Nervosa)
Stains “red-blue” Pale staining
 Anterior pituitary gland (Adenohypophysis)
1. Pars Distalis:
2. Pars Intermedia:
3. Pars Tuberalis:
 Pars distalis

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

Pars intermedia, between

anterior and posterior pituitary Pars Intermedia:
- Poorly developed in
Anterior
Posterior humans.
- Consists mainly of
basophils.
- Presence of colloid
filled vesicles.
- Some cells produce
melanocyte stimulating
hormone (MSH).

Intermedia
Pars intermedia
 Pars Tuberalis:

Pars Tuberalis:
Consists of chromophilic (mostly basophilic) & chromophobic cells.
Anterior pituitary gland - Adenohypophysis
High magnification

The adenohypophysis contains

3 cell types:

- acidophils (stain red)

- basophils (stain blue)
- chromophobes (pale stain)

red-blue stains
 Adenohypophysis – low magnification

The adenohyphysis stains red-blue on low magnification because of the

acidophils and basophils
 What do the cell types of adenohypophysis secrete?
• Acidophils secrete growth hormone and prolactin

• Basophils secrete TSH, LH and FSH and ACTH (Adrenocorticotropic hormone)

• Chromophobes are undifferentiated cells

 Cells and hormones of the anterior pituitary
LM Cell type Hormone Releasing (+) or
staining inhibiting (-) horm.
Acidophil Somatotrophs Growth hormone (GH) GHRH (+)
= somatotropin Somatostatin (-)

Acidophil Mammotrophs Prolactin (PRL) [Dopamine (-)

= lactotrophs estrogen (+)]
Basophil Thyrotrophs Thyroid stimulating TRH (+)
hormone (TSH)
= thyrotropin
Basophil Gonadotrophs Luteinizing hormone GnRH (+)
(LH), follicle stimulating
hormone (FSH); both =
gonadotropin

Basophil Corticotrophs Adrenocorticotropin CRH (+)

(human) (ACTH) = corticotropin
 Posterior pituitary gland – 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 gland – Neurohypophysis
Low magnification

The neurohypophysis
resembles neural tissue with :
- glial cells,
- nerve fibers,
-nerve endings, and
- intra-axonal neurosecretory
granules

Precursors of ADH (vasopressin) and oxytocin are synthesized in the hypothalamus and
transported to the pars nervosa where processing is completed
Posterior Pituitary Gland - Neurohypophysis
Neurohypophysis – High magnification

Hering bodies are large

dilated axon terminal
endings that are filled with
accumulated neurosecretory
granules
Thyroid gland
Thyroid Gland

Thyroid Follicles are filled

with pink material which
is colloid.

The follicles normally vary

in size.
Thyroid follicle – High magnification
Normal thyroid follicles
are lined by a low cuboidal
follicular epithelium.

follicular cells
 Thyroid gland – High magnification

Parafollicular cells (C-cells) lie

between follicles and secrete
Calcitonin

The role in humans is unclear, as patients

who have very low or very high levels of
calcitonin show no adverse effects.

Calcitonin reduces calcium levels in the blood by two main mechanisms:

1. Inhibits the activity of osteoclasts, which are the cells responsible for breaking down bone.
When bone is broken down, the calcium contained in the bone is released into the
bloodstream. Therefore, the inhibition of the osteoclasts by calcitonin directly reduces the
amount of calcium released into the blood. However, this inhibition has been shown to be short-
lived.

2. It can also decrease the resorption of calcium in the kidneys, again leading to lower blood
 Parathyroid Gland – high power
2 cells types of the Parathyroid gland: Chief cells and oxyphil cells

Chief
cells
Oxyphil cells

Chief cells secrete parathormone (PTH). They Oxyphil cells have smaller, darker nuclei and
have large round nuclei with a small amount of relatively larger amount of cytoplasm. The
clear cytoplasm. significance of the oxyphil cells is not clear.
Parathyroid gland
Parathyroid Gland – low magnification

- Low magnification of parathyroid,

showing random cords of cells.
- The parathyroid is somewhat
lobulated in appearance and
considerable adipose tissue is
intermingled with secretory
portions.

Adipose tissue Cords of cells

Adrenal Gland – Low power

capsule

cortex

medulla
 Adrenal medulla

zona reticularis

Adrenal medulla

Low magnification
Adrenal medulla – enlarged
– high magnification
 Adrenal cortex

Mineralocorticoids -
Zona glomerulosa
aldosterone

Glucocorticoids –
Zona fasciculata Cortisol, corticosterone

Androgens–
dehydroepiandrosterone
Zona reticularis
 Endocrine Pancreas
Islets of Langerhans

Low magnification High magnification

Cells in the islets of Langerhans:

1. Alpha – secrete
Pancreatic Polypeptide (PP) is a 36 amino acid peptide
produced and secreted by PP cells (originally termed F cells) glucagon
of the pancreas which are primarily located in the Islets of 2. Beta – secrete insulin
Langerhans 3. Delta –
secrete somatostatin and gastrin
Pancreas
Islets of Langerhans
Low magnification

Islets of Langerhans
High magnification
 Areas to pay attention to:

Pitutary Gland
• On low power and high power sections distinguish the adenohypophysis (anterior
pituitary) from the neurohypophysis (posterior pituitary).
• List the 2 hormones that are secreted by the hypothalamus and stored in the posterior
pituitary.
• Define “Hering Body”.
• Explain in general terms the staining patterns of chromophobes, basophils and
acidophils of the anterior pituitary.
• List the 6 hormones secreted by the anterior pituitary and the cell type by which they are
each secreted.

Thyroid Gland
• On H&E stained sections, identify thyroid follicles and colloid.
• Describe the cell type that lines thyroid follicles.
• List the hormone produced by the parafollicular cells of the thyroid gland.
 Areas to pay attention to cont’d

Parathyroid gland
• List the two cell types of the parathyroid glands.

Adrenal Gland
• On low power distinguish the adrenal cortex from the medulla.
• On low power distinguish the zona glomerulosa, zona fasciculata, and
zona reticularis and list the hormones secreted by each.
• List the substances secreted by the chromaffin cells of the adrenal
medulla.

Endocrine Pancreas
• On low power distinguish the Islets of Langerhans.
• List the hormones produced by the alpha, beta, delta and PP cells.
 THANK YOU
THANK YOU

THANK YOU
THANK YOU