An anterior pituitary basophil is a type of cell in the anterior pituitary

Anterior pituitary

A major organ of the endocrine system, the anterior pituitary, also called the adenohypophysis, is the glandular, anterior lobe of the pituitary gland...

 which manufactures hormones.

It is called a basophil

Basophilic

Basophilic is a technical term used by histologists. It describes the microscopic appearance of cells and tissues, as seen down the microscope, after a histological section has been stained with a basic dye. The most common such dye is haematoxylin....

 because it readily takes up base

Base (chemistry)

For the term in genetics, see base A base in chemistry is a substance that can accept hydrogen ions or more generally, donate electron pairs. A soluble base is referred to as an alkali if it contains and releases hydroxide ions quantitatively...

, 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 >- | Corticotrophs

15%

ACTH

CRH Corticotropin-releasing hormone Corticotropin-releasing hormone , originally named corticotropin-releasing factor , and also called corticoliberin, is a polypeptide hormone and neurotransmitter involved in the stress response... >- | Gonadotrophs

10%

FSH FSH FSH may refer to:* Follicle-stimulating hormone* Fox Sports Houston, a regional Fox Sports Net affiliate station for the Houston, Texas area* Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy* International Civil Aviation Organisation code for Flash Airlines... , LH Luteinizing hormone Luteinizing hormone is a hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland. In females, an acute rise of LH called the LH surge triggers ovulation and development of the corpus luteum. In males, where LH had also been called interstitial cell-stimulating hormone , it stimulates Leydig cell...  and hCG Human chorionic gonadotropin Human chorionic gonadotropin or human chorionic gonadotrophin is a glycoprotein hormone produced during pregnancy that is made by the developing embryo after conception and later by the syncytiotrophoblast .. Some tumors make this hormone; measured elevated levels when the patient is not... *

>- | Thyrotrophs

5%

TSH TSH TSH may refer to:* Tanzanian shilling, the currency of Tanzania* Thyroid-stimulating hormone, a hormone synthesized and secreted by thyrotrope cells* Tshiuetin Rail Transportation, a Canadian railway between Labrador and Quebec...

TRH

*Produced only in pregnancy by the developing embryo

Embryo

An embryo is a multicellular diploid eukaryote in its earliest stage of development, from the time of first cell division until birth, hatching, or germination...

.

B-FLAT for Basophils: FSH, LH, ACTH, TSH