| Basophil cell | |
| Location: | Anterior pituitary |
An anterior pituitary basophil is a type of cell in the anterior pituitary which manufactures hormones.
It is called a basophil because it is basophilic (readily takes up bases), and typically stains a relatively deep blue or purple.
These basophils are further classified by the hormones they produce. (It is usually not possible to distinguish between these cell types using standard staining techniques.)
| Cell name | Relative proportion | Hormone produced | Hypothalamic regulators | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15% | CRH | |||
| 10% | FSH, LH and hCG* | GnRH | ||
| 5% | TRH |