Study of cortico-melanotropic activities in the anterior pituitary of an anencephalic and a normal newborn.

Immunofluorescence studies by-means of anti-beta (1-24) corticotropin, anti-alpha (17-39) ACTH; anti-beta-MSH were performed on the anterior pituitary of an at-term anencephalic newborn. They showed small and rare cortico-melanotropic cells, as compared to those seen in the anterior pituitary of newborns. The comparison of these data with experimental observations suggest a possible autonomy of corticotropin function, although under hypothalamus control.