PITUITARY GLAND

(Hypophysis)

PITUITARY AND HYPOTHALAMUS

are morphologically and functionally linked in the
endocrine and neuroendocrine glands.
they play central roles in a number of regulatory
feedback system
master organs of the ES

PITUITARY GLAND
a pea-sized, compound endocrine gland,
centrally located at the base of the brain.
Sellaturcica saddle-shaped depression of the
sphenoid bone where lies the pituitary gland
develops in the embryo partly from oral
ectoderm and partly from the developing brain
A short stalk, the infundibulum, and a
vascular network connect the pituitary gland
to the hypothalamus.

2 FUNCTIONAL
COMPONENTS
Anterior lobe (adenohypophysis)
- the glandular epithelial tissue
- derived from an evagination of the ectoderm of
the oropharynx toward the brain (Rathkes pouch)
Posterior lobe (neurohypophysis)
- the neural (secretory) tissue
- derived from a downgrowth of neuroectoderm of
the floor of the third ventricle (diencephalon) of the
developing brain.

ANTERIOR LOBE
3 derivatives of Rathkes pouch:

Pars distalis (distal lobe)

- comprises the bulk of the anterior lobe;
arises from the thickened anterior wall of the
pouch
Pars intermedia (intermediate lobe)
- a thin remnant of the posterior wall of
the pouch that abuts the pars distalis
Pars tuberalis (tuberal lobe)
- develops from the thickened lateral
walls of the pouch and forms a collar or sheath

Posterior lobe
3 components:

Neural lobe (Pars nervosa, Infundbular

process)
- lying behind the anterior pituitary in the
sellaturcica
Pituitary stalk (Infundibular stem)
- where axons run from the brain above
Median Eminence (Infundibulum)
- a funnel shape extension of the
hypothalamus; where the infundibulum with
its stalk is attached.

PITUITARY GLAND
infundibular stalk (IS); pars nervosa (PN); pars
distalis (PD); pars intermediate (PI); and pars
tuberalis (PT)

I. ADENOHYPOPHYSIS (Anterior
Pituitary)
The cells are organized in clumps and cords separated by
fenestrated sinusoidal capillaries of relatively large diameter.
Have cells that respond to signals from the hypothalamus and
synthesize and secrete a number of pituitary hormones (4+2)
4 hormones (tropic hormones)
ACTH, TSH, FH, LH
regulate the activity of cells in other endocrine glands throughout the
body

Other 2 hormones (not tropic)

GH, PRL
act directly on target organs that are not endocrine in nature

regulates other endocrine glands and some non-endocrine

tissues

Hormones of the Anterior Pituitary

Hormone

Function

Growth hormone
(somatotrophin, GH)

Stimulates liver and other organs to synthesize and secrete

insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-II) to stimulate division of
progenitor cells located in growth plates and in skeletal
muscles for body growth

Prolactin (PRL)

Promotes mammary gland development

Adrenocorticotropic
hormone (ACTH)

Maintains structure and stimulates secretion of

glucocorticoids and gonadocorticoids by the
zonafasciculata and zonareticularis of the adrenal cortex

Follicle-stimulating
hormone (FSH)

Stimulates follicular development in the ovary and

spermatogenesis in the testis

Luteinizing hormone (LH)

Regulates final maturation of ovarian follicle, ovulation and

corpus luteum formation; stimulates steroid secretion by
follicle and corpus luteum; In males, essential for
maintenance of and androgen secretion by the Leydig
(interstitial) cells of the testis

Thyrotropic hormone (TSH

Stimulates growth of thyroid epithelial cells; stimulates

production and release of thyroglobulin and thyroid
hormones

Pars distalis
accounts for 75% of the adenohypophysis and is covered by a thin fibrous
capsule.
main components are cords of epithelial cells interspersed with fenestrated
capillaries
Fibroblasts are present and produce reticular fibers supporting the cords of
hormone-secreting cells.
Common stains suggest two broad groups of cells in the pars distalis based
on staining affinity: chromophils and chromophobes.
chromophils- are secretory cells in which hormone is stored in
cytoplasmic granules.
- are also called basophils and acidophils according totheir affinity
for basic
and acidic dyes
chromophobes - stain weakly, with few or no secretory granules, and
also represent a heterogeneous group, including stem and
undifferentiated progenitor cells as well as any degranulated cells
present.
Acidophils include the somatotropic and mammotropic cells

Pars distalis: acidophils, basophils, and

chromophobes

(a,b):acidophil cells (A), basophils (B), and chromophobes (C)

(c):acidophil cells (A), basophils (B), and chromophobes (C); Cords of
acidophils and basophils vary in distribution and number in different
regions of the pars distalis, but are always closely associated with
capillaries and sinusoids (S) in the second capillary plexus of the portal

Secretory Cell Types of the pars distalis

Cell Type

Stain
Affinity

%
Hormone
of
Produced
Tot
al
Cell
s

Main Physiologic Activity

Somatotropi
c cell

Acidophil
ic

50

Somatotropin
(growth hormone,
GH)

Acts on growth of long bones via

insulin-like growth factors
synthesized in liver

Mammotrop
ic cell (or
actotropic
cell)

Acidophil
ic

1520

Prolactin (PRL)

Promotes milk secretion

Gonadotropi Basophili
c cell
c

10

Follicle-stimulating
hormone (FSH)
luteinizing
hormone (LH) in
the same cell type

FSH promotes ovarian follicle and

development and estrogen
secretion in women and
spermatogenesis in men. LH
promotes ovarian follicle
maturation and progesterone
secretion in women and interstitial
cell androgen secretion in men.

Thyrotropic
cell

Basophili
c

Thyrotropin (TSH)

Stimulates thyroid hormone

synthesis, storage, and liberation

Corticotropi
c cell

Basophili
c

1520

Adrenal
corticotropin

Stimulates secretion of adrenal

cortex hormones

Hormones of the pars distalis and

their targets

Pars tuberalis
a funnel-shaped region surrounding the
infundibulum of the neurohypophysis
Highly vascular region containing veins of
the hypothalamohypophyseal system
Most of its cells are basophilic
gonadotropic cells that secrete folliclestimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing
hormone (LH).

Pars Intermedia
a thin zone of basophilic cells between the
pars distalis and the pars nervosa of the
neurohypophysis, which is often invaded
by these basophils
develops from the dorsal wall of the
hypophyseal pouch and usually contains
colloid-filled cysts that represent remnants
of that structure's lumen

Pars
intermedia

The pars intermedia (PI) lies between the

pars distalis (PD) and the pars nervosa
(PN), with many of its basophilic cells (B)
usually invading the latter. Remnants of the
embryonic hypophyseal pouch's lumen are
usually present in this region as colloid-filled

Presence of different-sized
follicles filled with colloid (CF)

Control of Secretion in the

Adenohypophysis
The activities of the cells of the anterior pituitary are
controlled primarily by peptide hormones produced by
specialized neurons in certain hypothalamic nuclei and
stored in their axons that run to the median eminence
Most of these hormones are hypothalamic-releasing
hormones; liberated from the axons, they are
transported by capillaries to the pars distalis where
they stimulate hormone synthesis and/or release.
Two of the hypothalamic factors, however, act to
inhibit hormone release by specific cells of the pars
distalis (hypothalamic-inhibiting hormones)

Hypothalamic hormones regulating the anterior

pituitary
Hormone
Function
Thyrotropin-releasing hormone
(TRH)

Stimulates synthesis and release of both

thyrotropin (TSH) and prolactin

Gonadotropin-releasing (GnRH)

Stimulates the release of both FSH and LH

hormone

Somatostatin

Inhibits release of both somatotropin (GH)

and thyrotropin (TSH)

Growth hormonereleasing
hormone(GHRH)

Stimulates synthesis and release of

somatotropin (GH)

Dopamine (prolactin-inhibiting
hormone)

Inhibits release of prolactin

Corticotropin releasing hormone Stimulates synthesis of POMC and release

(CRH)
of both -lipotropin (-LPH) and corticotropin
(ACTH)

Negative feedback loops affecting anterior pituitary se

Hypothalamic thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulates
secretion of thyrotropin (TSH), which stimulates synthesis and
secretion of thyroid hormone (TH). In addition to their effects on
target organs, TH inhibits TSH secretion from the pars distalis and
TRH secretion from the hypothalamus by negative-feedback.

II. Neurohypophysis (Posterior Pituitary)

an extension of the CNS
consists of the pars nervosa (which doesnt have
secretory cells) and the infundibular stalk
is composed of neural tissue, containing some 100,000
unmyelinated axons of secretory neurons situated in the
supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the
hypothalamus
presence of highly branched glial cells called pituicytes
that resemble astrocytes and are the most abundant cell
type in the posterior pituitary; serves a supporting role in
the CNS
NOT an endocrine gland; stores and releases secretory
products from the hypothalamus

Pars nervosa:
Neurosecretory bodies
and pituicytes

The pars nervosa of the posterior

pituitary consists of modified neural
tissues containing unmyelinated
axons supported and ensheathed by
glia cells called pituicytes (P), the
most numerous cell type present. The
axons run from the supraoptic and
paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei
and have swellings called
neurosecretory (Herring) bodies
(NB) from which either oxytocin or
vasopressin is released upon neural
stimulation. The released hormones

Hormones of the Posterior Pituitary

Hormone
Oxytocin

Antidiuretic
hormone (ADH;
vasopressin)

Major Function
Stimulates activity of the contractile
cells around the ducts of the mammary
glands to eject milk from the glands;
stimulates contraction of smooth
muscle cells in the pregnant uterus
Decreases urine volume by increasing
water permeability by collecting ducts
of the kidney; decreases the rate of
perspiration in response to
dehydration; increases blood pressure
by stimulating contractions of smooth
muscles cells in the wall of arterioles