Thyrotropic cell

Thyrotropic cells (also called thyrotropes, or thyrotrophs) are endocrine cells in the anterior pituitary which produce thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) from the hypothalamus. Thyrotropes comprise around 5% of the anterior pituitary lobe cells.

Thyrotropes appear basophilic in histological preparations.