Immunohistochemical individualization of adenohypophyseal thyrotropic cells in the monkey Macaca irus, using a human anti-beta-TSH antibody

Using the indirect immunofluorescence technique and an antiserum against the specific beta subunit of human TSH, selective immunocytochemical staining was localized in a cell population of the pars distalis of the monkey Macaca irus. These thyrotropic cells, which were positive to aldehyde fuchsin, Alcian blue, and PAS, were localized on the one hand in the ventro-medial zone of the pars distalis, especially alongside the large vessels of this region, and on the other in the zona tuberalis, i. e. at the bottom of the pars tuberalis. Some cells, sparsely distributed, were seen in the posterior part of the lateral lobes of the pars distalis, in the vicinity of the pars intermedia. No thyrotropic cells were encountered in pars tuberalis. Pars intermedia and posterior lobe contained no cells immunoreactive to beta-hTSH. In females, the thyrotropic cells were more numerous and larger than in males. Generally the thyrotropic cells were round or oval in shape, sometimes they were polygonal.