Anterior pituitary acidophil

GS undefined

In the anterior pituitary, the term "acidophil" is used to describe two different types of cells:


 * somatotrophs, which generate somatotropin
 * mammotrophs, which generate prolactin

When using standard staining techniques, they cannot be distinguished from each other (though they can be distinguished from basophils and chromophobes), and are therefore identified simply as "acidophils".