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THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM:

HYPOTHALAMUS AND
PITUITARY GLAND

Dr Muthoka Mativo

Lecturer, Human Anatomy

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OBJECTIVES

Overview of basic anatomy

Pituitary histology

Histophysiology of the hypothalamus

Histophysiology of pituitary gland

Applied anatomy
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BASIC ANATOMY

Hypothalamus is a part of the diencephalon

Is the true master gland, controlling the

endocrine and nervous systems

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BASIC ANATOMY
Pituitary gland located in the sella turcica of
sphenoid bone at base of brain

Has an anterior and posterior lobe. Posterior

lobe continuous with hypothalamus

Anterior lobe develops from roof of mouth

(Rathke’s pouch)
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BASIC ANATOMY cont’d

Anterior pituitary divided into:
Pas distalis
Pas intermedia
Pas tuberalis
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HISTOLOGICAL ORGANIZATION OF
PITUITARY

Anterior pituitary has deeply staining cells,

named depending on whether they stain with
acidic, basic dyes, or do not stain at all:
Acidophils
Basophils
Chromophobes
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HISTOLOGY cont’d

Highly vascularized with sinusoids (Fenestrated

capillaries)
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POSTERIOR PITUITARY
Lightly staining cell bodies of neurons
Has cords of nervous fibers
Highly vascularized
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 Pars intermedia,
between anterior
and posterior
pituitary, human,
Anterior Posterior
LM.

Poorly developed and of

doubtful function in
humans

Intermedia
Pars intermedia, rat pituitary, LM

Rathke's pouch
Anterior pituitary, LM drawing
Anterior pituitary, LM, trichrome stain
Anterior pituitary, LM, H&E stain

Basophil
Immunocytochemical localization of
growth hormone (GH), LM
 Immunocytochemical localization of
luteinizing hormone (LH) in gonadotropes,
fluorescence

Nucleus

Nucleus
LH
granules
Anterior
pituitary,
EM
Pathway of
hormone
secretion
Cytoplasm of prolactin-secreting
cell (lactotrope), EM

Golgi

Secretory
granule

Rough ER
 Golgi and secretory granules, EM
Mitochondrion Nucleus

Golgi
Granule
Exocytosis of prolactin granules, EM
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HYPOPHYSEAL PORTAL SYSTEM

Adenohypophysis hormones under control of the hypothalamus - secretes
specific regulatory factors:

hypothalamic neurons release regulatory factors into the surrounding

interstitial fluids through fenestrated (‘window’) capillaries

primary capillary plexus receives blood from the superior hypophyseal artery

before leaving the hypothalamus, the capillary network unites to form a series
of larger vessels, that form a secondary capillary plexus, which branches
among the endocrine cells

BVs that link the 2 capillary networks are called portal vessels
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HISTOPHYSIOLOGY OF HYPOTHALAMUS
Coordinating centers in the hypothalamus (master gland)
regulate the NS and endocrine system activities by 3
mechanisms:
1) By secreting regulatory hormones that control the adenohypophysis
(anterior lobe)
 Releasing hormones (RH) stimulate production of one or more hormones
 Inhibiting hormones (IH) prevent the synthesis and secretion of specific pituitary
hormones
2) It acts as an endocrine organ, releasing the hormones ADH and oxytocin into
the circulation at the neurohypophysis (posterior lobe)

3) Contains autonomic centers that have direct neural control over the endocrine
cells of the suprarenal medullae
 when the sympathetic division is activated, the suprarenal medullae release
hormones into the bloodstream
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Hypothalamic Control over Endocrine

Organs
 Regulation of the anterior pituitary
Ant. Pit. hormone Cell source Hypothalamic regulator Primary action(s)
of pituitary hormone

Growth H (GH) Somatotrope GH-RH (stimulatory) Bone growth and

Somatotropin Somatostatin (inhibitory) metabolism
Acidophils

Prolactin Mammotrope Dopamine (inhibitory) Milk production

(PRL) = Lactotrope Somatostatin (inhibitory)
TRH (stimulatory)

Thyroid-stimulating H Thyrotrope TRH (stimulatory) Thyroid growth and

TSH = thyrotropin Somatostatin (inhibitory) hormone secretion

Follicle-stimulating H Gonadotrope Gonadotropin-releasing H Folliculogenesis,

Basophils

(FSH) (GnRH); FSH- RH? Spermatogenesis

Steroideogenesis

Luteinizing H Gonadotrope Gonadotropin-releasing H Steroidogenesis,

(LH) (GnRH) Ovulation

Adrenocorticotropin Corticotrope Corticotropin-releasing H Adrenal steroid

(ACTH) = corticotropin Vasopressin production
 Regulation of pituitary gland by
neuro-endocrine signaling via the action of
neurosecretory neurons (endocrine neurons)
Neurons that secrete hormones – like other neurons except release
hormones into blood, not neurotransmitters into synapse;
process known as “neuro-endocrine secretion”

Two separate types of neuronal systems regulate the anterior vs.

posterior pituitary differently :

• Parvicellular system – these neurons produce and secrete hypothalamic

hormones (e.g. GH-RH; TRH; GnRH) that arrive at the anterior pituitary
gland via hypothalamo-hypophyseal portal vessels; regulate production of
hormones (e.g. GH; TSH; FSH/LH) by the acidophils & basophils of the
anterior pituitary

• Magnocellular system – these neurons produce and secrete hormones

directly into the posterior pituitary, which enter the gland via axons and
subsequently secreted into capillaries and thus the circulatory system
 Neurosecretory neurons:
Parvicellular system & regulation of anterior pituitary

Magnocellular
neurons
Parvicellular
neurons

Releasing / inhibiting hormones

travel to anterior pituitary via the
hypothalamic-hypophyseal portal system
(e.g. GH-RH; TRH; Gn-RH; Cn-RH)

Anterior pituitary
gland

acidophils
basophils
Anterior pituitary hormones
GH, PRL, TSH, LH, FSH, ACTH
SEM of Pituitary:
Corrosion vascular cast

Portal veins &

capillaries
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APPLIED ANATOMY
Gigantism
Pituitary dwarfism
Hyperthyroidism/Hypothyroidism
Precocious puberty
Hypogonadism
Diabetes Insipidus
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 An overactive pituitary gland during
childhood causes “Gigantism”
(i,e. too much GH secreted by a pituitary tumor)

Tallest Man Ever (documented)

Who: Robert Pershing Wadlow; born 1918
What: 8 ft 11 in
Where: Alton, Illinois, USA
When: Last measured on July 15, 1940

Tallest Living Woman

Who: Yao Defen; born 1972
What: 7 ft 8 in; 368 lbs
Where: China
Shoe Size: US 26; Euro 78
 An overactive pituitary gland during
adulthood causes “Acromegaly”
(i,e. too much GH secreted by a pituitary tumor)
Andre Rene Roussimoff Richard Kiel Ted Cassidy
aka “Andre the Giant” aka “JAWS” aka “Lurch”

The “Roger Moore” The Adams Family

The Princess Bride-
James Bond movies:
Fezzik
The Spy Who Loved Me
Moonraker
Pituitary development

Junqueira, 10th ed., page 404

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THE END