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The Cytogenesis and Pathogenesis of Pituitary Adenomas¹

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (S.L.A.) and Department of Medicine (S.E.), Mount Sinai Hospital, and Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology (S.L.A.) and Department of Medicine (S.E.), The University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X5

I. Introduction: Pituitary Adenomas

A. Definition

B. Epidemiology

C. Classification

II. Pituitary Cytodifferentiation

A. Early pituitary development

B. Pit-1

C. CREB

D. Estrogen receptor (ER)

E. Thyrotroph embryonic factor (TEF)

F. Steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1)

G. Corticotroph upstream transcription-binding element (CUTE)

H. Other putative factors

I. A model of adenohypophysial cytodifferentiation

III. Pathogenetic Mechanisms in Pituitary Adenoma Development and Progression

A. Hormonal factors

B. Molecular events

C. Growth factors and receptors

D. An integrated approach to multistep tumorigenesis

IV. Concluding Comments

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