Development of the Pituitary Gland

The hypophysis is an amalgam of two tissues. Early in gestation a finger of

ectoderm grows upward from the roof of the mouth. This protrusion is
called Rathke's pouch and will develop into the anterior pituitary or
adenohypophysis.
At the same time that Rathke's pouch is developing, another finger of ectodermal
tissue evaginates ventrally from the diencephalon of the developing brain. This
extension of the ventral brain will become the posterior pituitary or
neurohypophysis. Ultimately, the two tissues grow into one another and become
tightly apposed, but their structure remains distinctly different, reflecting their
differing embryological origins.

Both the adenohypophysis and neurohypophysis can be subdivided based on gross

and histologic features. The terminology used is as follows:
Adenohypohysis:
 Pars distalis - the largest section

 Pars tuberalis - a collar of tissue that usually surrounds the infundibular

stalk
 Pars intermedia - a narrow band that is usually separated from the pars
distalis by a hypophyseal cleft
Neurohypohysis:
 Pars nervosa - the bulk of the posterior pituitary

 Median emminence - the upper section of the neurohypophysis above the

pars tuberalis
 Infundibular stalk - the "stem" that connects the pars nervosa to the base of
the brain
 Types of pituitary disorders
 Craniopharyngioma
 Growth hormone deficiency.
 Nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma.
 Prolactinoma.
 Rathke's cleft cyst.
 Acromegaly. In children, acromegaly or overproduction of growth hormone
manifests as gigantism.
 Cushing's Syndrome. Cushing's Syndrome is the result of an overproduction of
cortisol, and can be caused by a tumor on the pituitary or adrenal gland(s).
 Hypothyroidism.
 Hypogonadism.

DEVELOPMENT OF PINEAL GLAND

The development of the pineal gland occurs from the third ventricle roof, the
caudal-most portion. At the seventh week of intrauterine development, the
ependymal area of the roof of the third ventricle thickens. The gland structure at
this point is a cavity that is connected to the third ventricle. The developing
parenchyma of the gland starts to form tubules, transforming into cells that are
innervated by developing nerves and separated by connective tissue. The
development of the mature gland is seen in the first decade of life. Basically, the
 pineal gland will increase in size from birth to about 2 years in age. The pineal
gland at this stage is seen to have lobules of pinealocytes that are divided from
each other by connective tissue septa and blood vessels. The gland remains stable
in size from age 2 to age
20.

 Disorders of the pineal gland can occur due to aging, traumatic, and developmental
conditions. Examples include:
  pineal tumors,
 craniopharyngiomas; injuries affecting the sympathetic innervation of the pineal
gland; and rare congenital disorders.
 Injuries that affect the pineal gland.
 Pineal gland calcification.
 Pineal agenesis
 Pineal cysts