Pituitary Gland

(Hypophysis)
(General aspects)
Prof. Dr. Anwar Khan Wazir

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 Pituitary Gland
◆1 cm diameter
◆ 0.5 – 1 gram weight
◆ Lies in Sella Turcica
◆ Connected to hypothalamus by
Hypophyseal stalk - infundibulum
◆ Two parts
–Anterior pituitary – adenohypophysis
–Posterior pituitary – Neurohypophysis
–Pars intermedia – avascular or absent
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Pituitary gland

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 Development
◆ Adenohypophysis
– Rathke’s pouch – an invagination of
pharyngeal epithelium
– Epitheloid Glandular cells
◆ Neurohypophysis
– Outgrowth of hypothalamus
– Neural tissue
◆Pituicytes

◆Glial cells

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 Anterior pituitary Hormones
◆ GH-Growth hormone
◆ TSH – Thyroid stimulating hormone

◆ ACTH- Adrenocorticotropic hormone

◆ MSH – Melenocyte stimulating hormone

◆ Gonadotrophic Hormones
– LH – Luteinizing hormone (ICSH)
– FSH – Follicle stimulating hormone
◆ Prolactin

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Anterior pituitary Hormones

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 Posterior Pituitary Hormones
◆ Not produced in posterior pituitary
◆ Produced in Hypothalamus

◆ Only released from posterior pituitary

◆ Two Hormones

◆ Oxytocin

◆ ADH or vasopressin

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 Types of cells in anterior pituitary
◆ Acidophils - GH and prolactin
◆ Basophils – ACTH,TSH,FSH,LH,MSH

◆ Chromophobes – No hormone

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 Types of cells in anterior pituitary
◆ For every hormone special cells
– Somatotropes – GH- 30-40 %
– Corticotropes – ACTH- 20 %
– Thyrotropes – TSH – 3–5 %
– Gonadotropes – FSH & LH 3-5 %
– Lactotropes – prolactin 3-5 %

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Different types of cells in
Hypophysis

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 Hypothalamic Control
of Anterior Pituitary
◆ Hypothalamic releasing hormones RH
◆ Hypothalamic inhibitory hormones IH
◆ Secreted within the hypothalamus
◆ Neurons in different parts of hypothalamus
secrete different RH, IH
◆ Carried by nerve fiber to median
eminence
◆ Absorbed into blood in median eminence of
hypothalamus
◆ Carried by Hypothalamo-hypophyseal portal
vessels
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Hypothalamo-hypophyseal portal
vessels

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Different Hypothalamic RH & IH
◆ GHRH Peptide of 44 aa
◆ GHIH Peptide of 14 aa

◆ TRH Peptide of 3 aa
◆ CRH Peptide of 41 aa
◆ GnRH Peptide of 10 aa

◆ PIH Dopamine

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Growth Hormone

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 Growth Hormone
◆ Somatotropic Hormone or Somatotropin
◆ Small protein 191 AA

◆ MW 22005
◆ Causes growth of all tissue capable of
growing
–Proliferation of cells
– Increase size of the cells
–Differentiation of the cells
–Bone and cartilage growth
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 Functions of
Growth Hormone

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Growth hormone affects growth

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 Metabolic Effects
◆ Protein
– Increased synthesis
– Deposition
◆ Fats
– Mobilization
– Increased utilization
◆ Carbohydrates
– Decreased utilization
– Increased blood glucose level

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 Protein Deposition
◆ GH →↑transport of aa into the cell →
↑ protein synthesis
◆ GH → ↑ ribosomal translation →
↑ protein synthesis
◆ GH → ↑transcription of DNA into mRNA
→↑ ribosomal translation →
↑ protein synthesis
◆ GH →↓ catabolism of proteins
–Fats utilized & proteins spared

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 Fats Utilization
◆ GH →↑mobilization of FA in adipose
tissue →↑FFA in body fluids
◆ GH→ ↑conversion of FA into Acetyl-CoA

◆ Acetyl-CoA enters into CAC for energy

production
◆ Ketogenic effect
– GH→ ↑Acetyl-CoA →↑ Acetoacetic acid,
β-OH butyric acid and Acetone
→Acidosis
– GH may cause fatty liver 21
 Carbohydrates metabolism
◆ GH→ ↓uptake of glucose by cells
◆ GH→ ↑production of glucose in liver →
↑ blood glucose level
◆ GH→ ↑insulin secretion
◆ GH→ Insulin resistance →↓activity of
insulin→↑ blood glucose level
◆ GH→ ↑FFA →↓insulin sensitivity in liver
and muscles
◆ GH is diabetogenic (NIDDM or
Type II Diabetes mellitus) 22
 Insulin and growth
◆ Insulin and Carbohydrates are necessary
for growth
◆ Carbohydrates to provide energy for
growth
◆ Insulin to utilize Carbohydrates

◆ Insulin to transport some of the AA

across the CM

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 Bone and cartilage growth
◆ GH→ ↑deposition of proteins by chondrocytes
and osteogenic cells
◆ GH→ ↑reproduction of bone forming cells

◆ GH→ ↑conversion of chondrocytic cells into

osteogenic cells
◆ GH → ↑deposition of chondroitin-SO4 and
collagen
◆ GH→ ↑deposition of cartilage and then
calcification at the epiphyseal cartilage→
elongation of the bone
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 Bone and cartilage growth
◆ Epiphyseal cartilage is used up and
disappears then no more elongation of
bone is possible
◆ GH→ ↑osteoblastic activity→ ↑ bone
deposition
◆ Thickness of the bone continues to
increase even after disappearance of
epiphyseal cartilage

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 Somatomedins
◆ Insulin-like growth factors (IGF)
◆ No direct action of GH on culture on
osteogenic cells
◆ GH→ ↑production of several
Somatomedins in the liver→ Bone growth
◆ Most important –Somatomedin C
◆ Pygmies of Africa lack Somatomedin C
◆ Levi-Lorain dwarfs also have the same
problem
◆ Somatomedin C may be produced by local
tissues for local growth
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Variation in the secretion of GH
GH secretion varies throughout the day

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