Histological and Histochemical Structure of the Pituitary Gland in the Mullet Fish (Mugil cephalus)

This study aimed to elucidate the histological and histochemical structure of thepituitary gland of the mullet fish (Mugil cephalus). The results indicated that thepituitary gland of mullet fish (Mugil cephalus) was composed of a definedadenohypophyseal part interrupted by strands of neurohypophyseal arborization.Three regions were observed in the adenohypophysis, rostral pars distalis (RPD),proximal pars distalis (PPD), pars intermedia (PI). By certain histochemical stainingmethods, seven cell types were detected in the pituitary gland of Mugil cephalus,lactotrophs, adrenocorticotrophs in RPD, somatotrophs, gonadotrophs and thyrotrophsin PPD, melanotrophs and somatolactotrophs in PI. The neurohypophysis consisted ofnerve fibers, pituicytes were dispersed within thin connective tissue rich in bloodcapillaries.