Anatomical and cytohistological study of the pituitary gland in adult turkey

In order to conduct this study, eight adult turkey heads were obtained. Pituitary glands were harvested following cranial bones removal and examined morphologically and anatomically as well as topographically. Then, tissue sections were prepared and stained using Hematoxylin and Eosin, Alcian blue, orange G and periodic acid-Schiff staining techniques. The results showed that turkey pituitary gland as a pea-sized structure is located in the ventral part of the cerebrum and composed of adenohypophysis and neurohypophysis parts. Moreover, histological analyses revealed that sinusoids are well-developed at the distal part of the adenohypophysis and irregular masses of endocrine cells exist among them. Distributions of basophilic cells in the distal part of adenohypophysis were significantly higher than those of other endocrine cells, while the acidophilic cells had the lowest distribution. Lower and higher numbers of chromophobe cells were also found compared to those of basophilic and acidophilic cells, respectively. These findings were mostly similar to the other birds’ pituitary gland anatomical and histological features, but there were also differences in cellular elements distributions along with infundibular cavity topography.