In the anterior pituitary, the term "acidophil" is used to describe two different types of cells which stain well with acidic dyes.

• somatotrophs, which secrete growth hormone (a peptide hormone)
• lactotrophs, which secrete prolactin (a peptide hormone)

When using standard staining techniques, they cannot be distinguished from each other (though they can be distinguished from basophils and chromophobes),^[1] and are therefore identified simply as "acidophils".

• Eosinophilic
• Acidophile (histology)
• Basophilic
• Chromophobe cell

• Melanotroph

• Chromophil

• Basophil cell

• Oxyphil cell
• Oxyphil cell (parathyroid)
• Pituitary gland
• Neuroendocrine cell