Pituitary Gland- Hypophysis- Master Gland

 Pituitary gland is also known as hypophysis; situated below hypothalamus

 Size: 1 cm long, 1-1.5 cm wide and 0.5 cm thick
 Location: close to optic chiasma in the depression of sphenoid bone
 Pituitary gland has two lobe-anterior and posterior lobe. In between them there is a small
region called pars intermedia or intermediate lobe.

Anterior lobe (Adenohypophysis):

 account for 75% of total weight. It consists of functional secretory cell to produce
hormones.

Hormones of adenohypophysis
1. Growth hormone (Somatotropin)

 -associate with growth and growth rate of body

 -secretion of GH is controlled by two hormone produced by hypothalamus- Growth
hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) and Growth hormone inhibiting hormone(GHIH))

2. Prolactin

 – In female; stimulate growth of mammary gland and milk production

 – Inhibit most of the time by Prolactin Inhibiting hormone (PIH) from Hypothalamus

3. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)

 – stimulate thyroid gland to produce thyroxine

 -secretion of TSH is controlled by thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) and thyrotropin
inhibitin hormone (TIH) from hypothalamus

4. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)

 -stimulate adrenal cortex to secrete glucocorticoids

 -regulated by corticotropic releasing hormone (CRH) and corticotropic inhibiting
hormone (CIH) from hypothalamus

5. Luteinizing hormone (LH)

 – stimulate corpus luteum to secrete progesterone and estrogen

 – In male, LH is known as Interstitial cell stimulating hormone (ICSH),it stimulate
Interstitial cell of testis to secrete testosterone
 6. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)

 – stimulate growth of ovarian follicle and secretion of estrogen

 – In male, FSH stimulate testis to produce sperm

7. Melanocytes stimulating hormone (MSH)

 – stimulate melanocyte formation

 Hormones of Neuro-hypophysis
 It doesnot synthesize hormone, rather it stores the hormones produced by hypothalamus

1. Vasopressin (Anti-diuretic hormone)

 -help in osmoregulation
 – increase permeability of PCT, and stimulate reabsorption of water
 – Inhibit by alcohol

2. Oxytocin

 Stimulus uterus contraction during child birth, milk ejection