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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Measurement of Heme Synthesis Levels in Mammalian Cells
Published on: July 9, 2015
The Anterior Pituitary in Hemochromatosis
George Kontogeorgos1, Shaheda Handy, Kalman Kovacs
1MB, BS.
Abstract:
Pituitary changes in the case of a 69-year-old man with hemochromatosis are reported. The patient died of complications of hepatocellular carcinoma. The pituitary removed at autopsy was studied by histology, histochemistry, immunocytochemistry, electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Preferential localization of iron deposits was demonstrated within gonadotrophs, which, at the ultrastructural level, displayed selective, severe cellular injury. X-ray diffraction revealed the deposition of iron-accumulated lysosomes. Iron storage also was noted in stellate cells. We consider selective injury of pituitary gonadotrophs to be the basis of hypogonadism in iron-overloaded states.
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