We have investigated the expression of IL‐6 in a random selection of 27 human pituitary adenomas, comprising 8 somatotroph, 5 corticotroph, 3 mammotroph and 11 endocrinologically inactive adenomas, using a ³⁵S‐labelled 1.1kb riboprobe complementary to human IL‐6. Positive and negative IL‐6 transcript controls were generated from the IL‐6‐secreting human bladder carcinoma cell line T24/83. Tissue from a malignant melanoma was used as a positive S‐100 immunocytochemical control tissue. Of the 27 human pituitary adenomas examined by in situ hybridization, 7 (26%) contained IL‐6 transcripts: these were 3 of 5 corticotroph adenomas, 2 of 8 somatotrophinomas and 2 of 11 endocrinologically inactive adenomas. In each case, IL‐6 transcript‐positive cells constituted less than 1% of the total pituitary tissue mass examined. Alternate wax embedded 3 μm thick sections from 5 of the 7 IL‐6 transcript positive tumours were examined immunocytochemically for S‐100 antigen, or by in situ hybridization for IL‐6 transcripts. Immunocytochemistry for S‐100 antigen was completely negative in 3 of the 5 tumours and in the remaining 2, there was no evidence of IL‐6 transcripts and S–100 antigen co‐localization in any of the sections examined. This suggests that in pituitary adenomas, cells other than classical folliculostellate cells are responsible for IL‐6 production.