The Pituitary Hormones

Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 1

 Functional Anatomy
3rd
ventricle  Pituitary gland made
up of
Rathke’s • Anterior lobe
pouch
• Originated from
Rathke’s pouch
(pharyngeal
epithelium)
Posterior
lobe • Posterior lobe
• Originated from
Anterior outgrowth of 3rd
lobe ventricle
Intermediate
lobe
Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 2
 Functional Anatomy
3rd
ventricle  Also include the
intermediate lobe
Rathke’s
pouch

Posterior
lobe

Anterior
lobe
Intermediate
lobe
Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 3
Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 4
 Relationship of Pituitary to
Hypothalamus
Supra optic
nucleus  Embryo-logically
Hypothalamic
neurosecretions • Posterior lobe arise as
Hypo- evagination of the floor of
physiotropic
hormones 3rd ventricle
secreted
• It is made up of axons
Superior that arise from cell bodies
hypophysial
artery Posterior • Supraoptic
pituitary
hormones
• Paraventricular
• Hypothalamo –
hypophysial tract
Anterior
pituitary
vein
hormones
Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 5
 Relationship of Pituitary to
Hypothalamus
Supra optic
nucleus  Embryo-logically
Hypothalamic
neurosecretions • Anterior & intermediate
Hypo- lobes
physiotropic
hormones
secreted
• Arise from Rathke’s
pouch
Superior • Evagination from the
hypophysial
Posterior
roof of pharynx
artery
pituitary
hormones

Anterior
pituitary
vein
hormones
Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 6
 Relationship of Pituitary to
Hypothalamus
Supra optic
nucleus  There are neural
Hypothalamic
neurosecretions connections
Hypo-
physiotropic
• Hypothalamus
hormones
secreted
• Posterior lobe
 Nerves originate from
Superior
hypophysial
artery Posterior
• Supra-optic nucleus
pituitary
hormones
• Paraventricular nucleus

Anterior
pituitary
vein
hormones
Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 7
 Relationship of Pituitary to
Hypothalamus
Supra optic
nucleus  There is also vascular
Hypothalamic
neurosecretions connections between
Hypo-
physiotropic
• Hypothalamus
hormones
secreted
• Anterior pituitary

Superior
hypophysial
artery Posterior
pituitary
hormones

Anterior
pituitary
vein hormones
Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 8
 Portal – Hypophysial Vessels
Supra optic
nucleus  Form direct vascular
Hypothalamic
neurosecretion link between
s
Primary
plexus
• Hypothalamus
capillaries
in median
• Anterior pituitary
eminence 
Arise from branch of
Superior Portal
hypophysial
artery
hypophysial
vessels
• Carotid artery
Posterior • Circle of willis
pituitary
hormones

Capillaries
of anterior
vein
pituitary
Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 9
 Portal – Hypophysial Vessels
Supra optic
nucleus  Primary plexus
Hypothalamic
neurosecretion • Fenestrated capillaries
•
s
Primary Penetrate median
plexus
capillaries eminence
in median
eminence  Portal vessels arise
Superior Portal
hypophysial hypophysial from median eminence
artery vessels
Posterior
• End into capillaries of
pituitary anterior pituitary
hormones

Capillaries
of anterior
Vein
pituitary
Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 10
 Portal – Hypophysial Vessels
Supra optic
nucleus  Hormones secreted by
Hypothalamic
neurosecretion hypothalamus
s
Primary
plexus
• Released in median
capillaries eminence
•
in median
eminence Carried by blood through
Superior
hypophysial
Portal
hypophysial
• The portal hypophysial
artery vessels vessels to
Posterior • Anterior pituitary
pituitary
hormones

Capillaries
of anterior
Vein pituitary
Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 11
Cells of the Anterior Pituitary
 Usually there is one type of cell for
• Each major hormone produced by the anterior
pituitary
 The following are types of cells found in
the ant. Pit gland
• Somatotropes(30% of all cells of Ant. Pit )
• Secrete GH

Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 12

Cells of Anterior Pituitary
 Corticotropes (20% of all cell types)
• Secrete adrenocorticotropic hormones(ACTH)
 Thyrotropes
• Secreter thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)

Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 13

Cells of Anterior pituitary
 Gonadotropes
• Secrete gonadotropic hormones
• Luteinizing hormone (LH)
• Folicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
 Lactotropes
• Secrete prolactin (PRL)

Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 14

Anterior Pituitary Hormones
 Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
[thyrotropin]
• Stimulates thyroid gland
• Growth
• Secrete thyroid hormones (thyroxin)
• Control rates of most chemical reactions of the body

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Anterior Pituitary Hormones
 Adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)
[corticotropin]
• Stimulates growth of adrenal cortex
• Zona fasciculata
• Zona reticularis
• Stimulate secretion of
• Adrenocortical hormones
• Affect metabolism of
• Glucose, protein & fat

Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 16

Anterior Pituitary Hormones
 Growth hormone (GH)
• Somatotropin (STH)
 Accelerates body growth
• Protein formation, cell multiplication, cell
differentiation
 Stimulates secretion of (IGF-1) insulin
like growth factors
• Liver and other tissues
Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 17
Anterior Pituitary Hormones
 Follicle stimulating hormones (FSH)
stimulates
• Ovarian follicles growth in females
• Spermatogenesis in males
 Luteinizing hormone (LH) stimulates
• Ovulation and luteinizing of ovarian follicles in
females
• Testosterone secretion in males

Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 18

Anterior Pituitary Hormones
 Prolactin (PRL)
• Stimulate secretion of milk by mammary
glands
• Promote maternal behaviour
 - lipotropin (-LPH)

Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 19

Intermediate Lobe Secretions
 Intermediate lobe secrete
• Melanotropin or intermedin
• Stimulate melanin synthesis in humans
• Expand melanophore
• Fish, amphibians, reptiles

Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 20

Intermediate Secretions
 Melanotropin or intermedin include
-melanocyte stimulating hormone (-MSH)
 - melanocyte stimulating hormone (-MSH)
 - melanocyte stimulating hormone ( - MSH)
  - lipotropin ( - LPH)
• Corticotropin like peptide from intermediate lobe

Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 21

Posterior Lobe Hormones
 Anti-diuretic hormone (ADH)
Vasopressin
• Promote water retention by kidneys
• Vasopressor
 Oxytocin
• Milk ejection
• Contraction of pregnant uterus

Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 22

 Control of Anterior Pituitary
Secretions
Hypothalamus  Hypothalamus
Hypophysiotropic
• Secrete releasing,
hormones
inhibiting hormones
• In the median
Hypothalamic eminence
hypophysial portal
system  These are transported
via the hypothalamic
Anterior
hypophysial portal
pituitary Secretions system
of Anterior
pituitary • Anterior pituitary
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 Control of Anterior Pituitary
Secretions
Hypothalamus
 Control the secretion of
Hypophysiotropic
anterior pituitary
hormones
secretion
Hypothalamic
hypophysial portal
system

Anterior
pituitary Secretions
of Anterior
pituitary

Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 24

 Control of Anterior Pituitary
Secretions
Hypothalamus 
The releasing & inhibitory
hormones include
Hypophysiotropic
hormones • Corticotrophin releasing
hormone (CRH)
Hypothalamic
hypophysial portal
• Stimulate release of
system adrenocorticotropin
hormone (ACTH)

Anterior
pituitary Secretions
of Anterior
pituitary

Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 25

 Control of Anterior Pituitary
Secretions
Hypothalamus  Thyrotropin releasing
hormone (TRH)
Hypophysiotropic
hormones
• Cause release of TSH
 Growth hormone
Hypothalamic
hypophysial portal
releasing hormone
system (GRH)
• Cause release of GH
Anterior
 Growth hormone
pituitary Secretions inhibiting hormone (GIH)
of Anterior
pituitary • Inhibit release of GH

Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 26

 Control of Anterior Pituitary
Secretions
Hypothalamus 
Leutenizing hormone
releasing hormone (LHRH)
Hypophysiotropic
hormones • Cause release of LH
Hypothalamic
 Gonadotropin releasing
hypophysial portal hormone (GnRH)
system
• Cause release of LH, FSH

Anterior
pituitary Secretions
of Anterior
pituitary

Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 27

 Control of Anterior Pituitary
Secretions
Hypothalamus
 Prolactin inhibiting factor
Hypophysiotropic
(PIF)
hormones
• Cause inhibition of
Hypothalamic prolactin secretion
hypophysial portal
system

Anterior
pituitary Secretions
of Anterior
pituitary

Mar 22, 2024 Pituitary Gland 28