Pituitary gland
The pituitary gland, or hypophysis, is an endocrine gland, about the size of a pea and weighing 0.5 grams (0.018 oz) in humans. It is a protrusion off the bottom of the hypothalamus at the base of the brain. The hypophysis rests upon the hypophysial fossa of the sphenoid bone in the center of the middle cranial fossa and is surrounded by a small bony cavity (sella turcica) covered by a dural fold (diaphragma sellae). The anterior pituitary (or adenohypophysis) is a lobe of the gland that regulates several physiological processes (including stress, growth, reproduction, and lactation). The intermediate lobe synthesizes and secretes melanocyte-stimulating hormone. The posterior pituitary (or neurohypophysis) is a lobe of the gland that is functionally connected to the hypothalamus by the median eminence via a small tube called the pituitary stalk (also called the infundibular stalk or the infundibulum).
Hormones secreted from the pituitary gland help to control growth, blood pressure, energy management, all functions of the sex organs, thyroid glands and metabolism as well as some aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, water/salt concentration at the kidneys, temperature regulation and pain relief.
|
S.No. |
Type of cell |
Hormone secreted |
Percentage of type of cell |
|
1. |
Somatotropes |
human growth hormone (hGH) |
30-40% |
|
2. |
Corticotropes |
adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) |
20% |
|
3. |
Thyrotropes |
thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) |
3–5% |
|
4. |
Gonadotropes |
gonadotropic hormone i.e., both luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) |
3–5% |
|
5. |
Lactotropes |
prolactin (PRL) |
3–5% |
Clinical significance
Some of the diseases involving the pituitary gland are:
- Central diabetes insipidus caused by a deficiency of vasopressin
- Gigantism and acromegaly caused by an excess of growth hormone in childhood and adult, respectively
- Hypothyroidism caused by a deficiency of thyroid-stimulating hormone
- Hyperpituitarism, the increased (hyper) secretion of one or more of the hormones normally produced by the pituitary gland
- Hypopituitarism, the decreased (hypo) secretion of one or more of the hormones normally produced by the pituitary gland
- Panhypopituitarism a decreased secretion of most of the pituitary hormones
- Pituitary tumours
- Pituitary adenomas, noncancerous tumors that occur in the pituitary gland.
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EndocrinologyandMetabolism:OpenAccess
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