This document discusses the pituitary gland. It begins with an introduction to the functional anatomy and hormones of the anterior pituitary gland. It then describes the gross anatomy and development of the pituitary gland. The document outlines the parts of the pituitary gland including the adenohypophysis and neurohypophysis. It details the histological structure and blood supply of the pituitary gland. The relationship between the hypothalamus and pituitary is examined, including the hypothalamic-pituitary portal system. Finally, the major anterior pituitary hormones are identified as the growth hormone family, glycoprotein hormone family, and pro-opiomelanocortin peptides family.

1. DR NILESH KATE
MBBS,MD
ASSOCIATE PROF
DEPT. OF PHYSIOLOGY
PITUITARY
GLAND

2. OBJECTIVES.
 Introduction and functional anatomy.
 Anterior pituitary hormones
 Growth hormones
 Applied aspects.
Wednesday, June 1, 2016

3. INTRODUCTION AND
FUNCTIONAL ANATOMY.
 Hypothalamo-
pituitary unit–
important component
of endocrine system
 Controls – Growth,
Lactation, Fluid
balance, thyroid,
adrenals & gonads.
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4. GROSS ANATOMY
 Pituitary Gland –
hypophysis cerebri
 Wt – 0.5 gm
 Location –
hypophyseal fossa
 Suspended by
pituitary stalk which
connects it to
hypothalamus.
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5. DEVELOPMENT.
 Anterior pituitary –
Ectodermal origin.
 From Rathke’s pouch
 Upward out pouching
from roof of primitive oral
cavity.
 Posterior pituitary.
 Lowered out pouching
From Neuroectodermal
tissues of central
hypothalamus.
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6. PARTS OF PITUITARY GLAND.
 Adenohypophysis
 Neurohypophysis.
 Pituitary stalk.
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7. ADENOHYPOPHYSIS
 Forms 80%
 3 parts
 Pars Distalis – main
bulk, highly vascular
 Pars Intermedia –
middle, avascular zone
 Pars Tuberalis – most
vascular, contains
secretory cells.
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8. NEUROHYPOPHYSIS.
 Post lobe – Neural
structure.
 3 parts
 Pars Posterior – pars
nervosa , forms main bulk.
 Infundibular Stem – arising
from median eminance
 Median Eminance – small
portion from base of
hypothalamus..
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9. PITUITARY STALK.
 Median eminence &
Infundibulum forms
neural stalk.
 Surrounded by Pars
Tuberalis of
Adenohypophysis.
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10. INTERMEDIATE LOBE
 Rudimentary & does not secrete
Melanocyte stimulating
hormones(MSH).
 Humans contains few
Melanocyte containing melanin
granules.
 ACTH has weak MSH like
activity, so in Addison's disease
Hyper secretion of ACTH, there
is hyper pigmentation of skin.
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11. HISTOLOGICAL STRUCTURE
 Adenohypophysis
 Chromophobes - Agranular
 Chromophils – Granular
 Acidophils (35%)
 Somatotrophs
 Mammotrophs.
 Basophils (15%)
 Corticotrophs, Thymotrophs,
Gonadotrophs.
 Folliculostellate cells
 Capillary network.
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12. HISTOLOGICAL STRUCTURE
 Neurohypophysis.
 Unmyelinated nerve
fibers – axons in
supraoptic &
paraventricular nuclei of
hypothalamus.
 Pituicytes – Special types
of supporting cells.
 Glial cells – like Astrocytes
& Oligodendrocytes.
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13. BLOOD SUPPLY OF PITUITARY
GLAND
 ARTERIAL SUPPLY
 Internal carotid artery
(sup & inf hypophyseal
branches)
 Anterior cerebral artery.
 Posterior cerebral
artery.
 VENOUS DRAINAGE
 Cavernous sinus
 Jugular veins.
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14. HYPOTHALAMO-HYPOPHYSEAL
PORTAL SYSTEM.
 From superior hypophyseal
artery, form capillary network.
 Drained by long portal veins in
Infundibulum.
 Break into capillaries as
sinusoids of pars anterior as
portal system
 Provide link between ant &
post pituitary.
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15. HYPOTHALAMIC PITUITARY
RELASHIONSHIP
 Hypothalamo-
hypophyseal tract.
 Tubero-infundibular
tract and
hypothalamo-
hypophyseal portal
system.
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16. HYPOTHALAMO-
HYPOPHYSEAL TRACT.
 Axons of large Neuro
secretory cells of supraoptic
& paraventricular nuclei of
hypothalamus.
 At axon terminal form
Herring bodies.
 Secrete peptide hormones &
stored in Neuro secretory
granules in nerve terminals.
 Released in inferior
hypophyseal artery.
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17. TUBERO-INFUNDIBULAR TRACT AND
HYPOTHALAMO-HYPOPHYSEAL
PORTAL SYSTEM.
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18. Wednesday, June 1, 2016

19. ANTERIOR PITUITARY
HORMONES
 ANTERIOR PITUITARY -
master endocrine organ
 Adenohypophysis
hormones
 Growth hormone family.
 Glycoprotein hormone
family.
 Pro-opiomelanocortin
peptides family.
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20. Wednesday, June 1, 2016

21. GROWTH HORMONE FAMILY.
 Growth hormone
 Prolactin.
 Human chorionic
Somatomammotropin.
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22. GLYCOPROTEIN HORMONE
FAMILY.
 Thyroid stimulating hormone
 Luteinizing hormones
 Follicle stimulating hormones.
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23. PRO-OPIOMELANOCORTIN
PEPTIDES FAMILY.
 Derived from single precursor – Pro-
opiomelanocortin
 Adrenocorticotropic hormone
 Melanocyte stimulating hormone
 β- lipotropin
 β-endorphin
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24. OBJECTIVES WE HAVE SEEN
 Pituitary gland – macroscopic & Microscopic
structure.
 Relationship with Hypothalamus.
 Releasing & Inhibiting Hormones.
 Anterior pituitary gland
 Cells, secretions and different hormones.
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25. Thank you.
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