Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science, Vol s2-83, 299-316, Copyright © 1942 by Company of Biologists

On the Pituitary of the Perch (Peroa Fluviatilis)

¹ Department of Zoology, University of Leeds

1. A general description is given of the pituitary of the perch (Perca fluviatilis L.), and histological details of its various parts. The subdivisions of the glandular component are confluent with each other but distinguished by their different cell types. The nervous lobe makes contact with all three of the subdivisions, but is separated from them by a layer of connective tissue, incomplete in particular areas.

2. The anterior glandular region (anterior lobe) has an anterior chromophil and a posterior chromophobe zone. The middle glandular region (transitional lobe) possesses brightly staining acidophils and basophils as well as chromophobes. The acidophils form a dorsal sheet, deeply indented by processes of the nervous lobe, the basophils lie ventrally and posteriorly, and chromophobes are common towards the extremities of the indentations. The posterior glandular region (intermediate lobe) is elaborately penetrated by nervous lobe processes; the cells are small and consist of amphiphils, dull basophils, and occasional dull acidophils. The possible homologies of these regions to the lobes of higher types are discussed. The nervous lobe is of loose glial tissue with many nuclei and blood vessels and some reticular and collagenous fibres.

3. Strongly acidophil spheres of various sizes and in various numbers occur in the middle glandular region. They originate in ‘sphere cells’ resembling eosinophil leucocytes and after enlarging become free in the tissues of the region. Later they appear to pass into the posterior processes of the nervous lobe to be the larger bodies of the Herring material. Finally these larger elements appear to break down to form a fine granulation, whose further fate could not be followed.