TSH: thyroid-stimulating hormone ACTH: adrenocorticotropic hormone FSH: follicle-stimulating hormone LH: luteinizing hormone GH: growth hormone PRL: prolactin MSH: melanocyte-stimulating hormone NOTE: THEY ALL (6) ARE RELEASED FROM ANTERIOR PITUITARY ADH: antidiuretic hormone Oxytocin NOTE: THESE TWO ABOVE HORMONES ARE RELEASED FROM POSTERIOR PITUITARY

1. Pituitary Gland Physiology
By: Dr Iqra bano Chandio

2. Endocrine glands
 The major glands of the
endocrine system include
 Hypothalamus,
 Pituitary gland,
 Pancreas,
 Ovaries,
 Testes,
 Thyroid gland,
 Parathyroid gland,
 Pineal and
 Adrenal glands.

3. The Hypothalamus
Small structure at the base of the brain
Regulates many body functions, including
appetite and body temperature
Regulates the pituitary gland.

4. General Functions of the
hypothalamus
1. Controls body temperature.
2. Controls the cardiovascular system.
3. Controls food intake & body weight.
4. Controls thirst & water balance.
5. Involved in sleep & wakefulness.
6. Involved in emotional reactions.
7. Involved in reactions to stress.
8. Controls ovarian secretions during
ovarian cycle.
9. Controls testicular secretions.

5. The Pituitary gland (hypophysis):
 Small gland ( 1cm diameter;  0.5 to 1 gm
weight).
 Lies in sella turnica, a bony cavity at the base of
the brain.
 Connected to the hypothalamus by the pituitary
stalk or (hypophysial; infundibulum).
 Structurally &
functionally divided
into 2 lobes:
1) Anterior lobe )2/3(,
2) Posterior lobe )1/3(.

6. 1) The anterior pituitary lobe
(adenohypophysis)

Anterior lobe: glandular tissue, accounts for
75% of total weight. Hormones in this lobe
are controlled by regulating hormones from
the hypothalmus (stimulate or inhibit)
2) The posterior pituitary lobe
(neurohypophysis)
 Is the neural part of the pituitary gland.
Embryologically derived from a down growth of
the hypothalamus.

7. .

8. Two divisions:
 Anterior
pituitary
(adenohypophysis)
 Posterior
pituitary
(neurohypophysis)
8
Sits in hypophyseal fossa:
depression in sella turcica of
sphenoid bone
The Pituitary
1. TSH
2. ACTH
3. FSH
4. LH
5. GH
6. PRL
7. MSH
8. ADH (antidiuretic
hormone),
or vasopressin
9. Oxytocin
The first four are
“tropic” hormones, they
regulate the function of
other hormones
______
__

9. What the letters stand for…
 TSH: thyroid-stimulating hormone
 ACTH: adrenocorticotropic hormone
 FSH: follicle-stimulating hormone
 LH: luteinizing hormone
 GH: growth hormone
 PRL: prolactin
 MSH: melanocyte-stimulating hormone
 NOTE: THEY ALL (6) ARE RELEASED FROM
ANTERIOR PITUITARY
 ADH: antidiuretic hormone
 Oxytocin
 NOTE: THESE TWO ABOVE HORMONES ARE
RELEASED FROM POSTERIOR PITUITARY
9

10. HYPOTHALAMIC
HORMONE
EFFECTS ON THE
ANTERIOR PITUITARY
Thyrotropin-releasing hormone
(TRH)
Stimulates release of TSH
(thyrotropin) and Prolactin
Corticotropin-releasing hormone
(CRH)
Stimulates release of ACTH
(corticotropin)
Gonadrotropin-releasing
hormone (GnRH)
Stimulates release of FSH and
LH (gonadotropins)
Growth hormone-releasing
hormone (GHRH)
Stimulates release of growth
hormone
Growth hormone-inhibiting
hormone (GHIH)
Inhibits release of growth
hormone
{Prolactin-releasing hormone
(PRH)
Stimulates release of prolactin
Prolactin-inhibiting hormone
(PIH)
Inhibits release of prolactin

11. So what do the pituitary hormones do?
 TSH stimulates the thyroid to produce
thyroid hormone
 ACTH stimulates the adrenal cortex to
produce corticosteroids: aldosterone and
cortisol
 FSH stimulates follicle growth and ovarian
estrogen production; stimulates sperm
production and androgen-binding protein
 LH has a role in ovulation and the growth
of the corpus luteum; stimulates androgen
secretion by interstitial cells in testes 11
The four tropic ones regulate the function of other
hormones:

12. The others from the anterior pituitary…
 GH (aka somatrotropic hormone)
stimulates growth of skeletal epiphyseal
plates and body to synthesize protein
 PRL stimulates mammary glands in
breast to make milk
 MSH stimulates melanocytes; may
increase mental alertness
12

13. From the posterior pituitary (neurohypophysis)
structurally part of the brain
 ADH (antidiuretic hormone AKA
vasopressin) stimulates the kidneys to
reclaim more water from the urine, raises
blood pressure
 Oxytocin prompts contraction of smooth
muscle in reproductive tracts, in females
initiating labor and ejection of milk from
mammary glands.
13

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