The functions of hypergeometric type are the solutions y = y_(z) of
the differential equation _(z)y′′+_ (z)y′+_y = 0, where _ and _ are polynomials of
degrees not higher than 2 and 1, respectively, and _ is a constant. Here we consider
a class of functions of hypergeometric type: those that satisfy the condition […] 0, where _ is an arbitrary complex (fixed) number. We also assume
that the coefficients of the polynomials _ and _ do not depend on _. To this class
of functions belong Gauss, Kummer and Hermite functions, and also the classical
orthogonal polynomials. In this work, using the constructive approach introduced
by Nikiforov and Uvarov, several structural properties of the hypergeometric type
functions y = y_(z) are obtained. Applications to hypergeometric functions and
classical orthogonal polynomials are also give
