Pars intermedia

Pars intermedia
Median sagittal through the hypophysis of an adult monkey. (Pars intermedia labeled at bottom center.)
Latin	pars intermedia adenohypophyseos
Gray's	subject #275 1275

Pars intermedia is the boundary between the anterior and posterior lobes of the pituitary. It contains three types of cells - basophils, chromophobes, and colloid-filled cysts. The cysts are the remainder of Rathke’s pouch.

In human fetal life, this area produces melanocyte stimulating hormone or MSH which causes the release of melanin pigment in skin melanocytes (pigment cells). However, the pars intermedia is normally either very small or entirely absent in adulthood.

In lower vertebrates (fish, amphibians) MSH from the pars intermedia is responsible for darkening of the skin, often in response to changes in background color. This color change is due to MSH stimulating the dispersion of melanin pigment in dermal (skin) melanophore cells.

External links

• Histology at BU 14001loa
• Histology at BU 14101loa
• Histology at OU 38_11
• UIUC Histology Subject 991