Origin, Possible Function and Fate of “Follicular Cells” in the Anterior Lobe of the Human Pituitary: An Electron Microscopic Study

In human anterior pituitaries, follicular structures were found to develop by transformation of various types of glandular cells around foci of ruptured granulated cells undergoing destruction. In phase I, junctional complexes between granulated cells, as well as microvilli at the luminal surfaces of cell membranes, are formed. In phase II, degranulation and dedifferentiation of cytoplasm dominate the picture. Phase III follicular cells are practically devoid of secretory granules and other ultrastructural features characteristic of granulated cells. The participation of cell types in follicle formation does not appear to be limited. The follicular content in phase I-II is clearly recognizable as cellular debris from adenohypophysiocytes. These findings indicate that neither follicles nor junctional complexes are necessarily permanent structures of the anterior pituitary. It can be assumed that substances escaping from ruptured granulated cells may induce the formation of junctional complexes between adjacent cells.