RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS OF THE 28th ECVIM-CA CONGRESS

Pituitary tissue was collected at routine necropsy from 20 dogs, without clinical suspicion of pituitary disease, in this cross‐sectional study performed at the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala. Pituitary tissue was fixed in 10% formalin. The pituitary glands were sagittally incised before embedding in paraffin. Sections (4 μm) were stained with haematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Sequential sections were subjected to immunohistochemistry using primary antibodies specific for the T‐cell marker CD3 and the B‐cell marker CD79a. An indirect avidin‐biotin‐peroxidase procedure using diaminobenzidine as chromogen was used for detection of antigen‐antibody binding. The number of cells per area unit (CPA) was determined in pars tuberalis, pars distalis, pars intermedia, infundibulum and lobus nervosus.