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In the mouse, the pituitary gland (hypophysis) is attached to the ventral surface of the brain (see Diagram of Endocrine Organs in Head – In Situ) and is heavier in females than in males; its size also differs between strains. The pituitary gland has three well-defined regions: pars distalis (anterior lobe), pars intermedia (intermediate lobe), pars nervosa (neural lobe or neurohypophysis). Pars distalis and pars intermedia are also known as adenohypophysis. They are separated from each other by the hypophyseal (residual) cleft, which is lined by low cuboidal epithelium. The pars distalis is the largest and most vascular lobe. The secretory cells of the pars distalis are grouped in cord separated by sinusoids. They are classified, based on their staining with hematoxylin and eosin, into chromophobe cells, acidophils, and basophils.
The 4X micrograph is an overview of the pituitary gland and its surroundings. The 10X micrograph exhibits the three different lobes of the pituitary gland with the hypophyseal cleft separating pars intermedia and pars distalis. The 20X micrograph shows the cuboidal epithelial lining of the hypophyseal cleft. The 40X micrograph displays the different cells present in the pars distalis.
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