[New histochemical contributions to the study of corticotropic cells in the adenohypophysis of the chick enbryo].

Comparative analysis of results obtained after subsequent treatments of chick embryo adenohypophysis by anti-ACTH 17-39 Is, PAS and Bodian method demonstrates that ACTH cells are PAS positive, Bodian negative and are located in the cephalic lobe. With the histochemical fluorescence method of Falck, the cells marked by anti-ACTH 17-39 Is exhibit an induced fluorescence, after L-DOPA injection. However, after treatment by metopirone, numerous cells of the caudal part of the adenohypophysis take up L-DOPA but they are not corticotrophs.