PITUITARY GLAND AND ITS HORMONES

Pituitary Gland
- Major regulator of an elaborate
hormonal system
- Receives signal from hypothalamus
and responds by sending pituitary
hormones to target glands
Produce hormones that provide
NEGATIVE FEEDBACK at level of
the hypothalamus & pituitary
*NEGATIVE FEEDBACK MECHANISM*
- Allows the pituitary gland to regulate
the amount of hormone released into
the bloodstream by the target glands
- Its central role in hormonal system
and its ability to interpret and respond
to a variety of signals have led to its
designation as the master gland
ANATOMY
- Located at base of skull in a saddleshaped cavity of the sphenoid bone:
sella turcica
- Dura forms the roof of the sella
- PG is extradural, meaning its not in
contact with the CSF
- It is connected to the hypothalamus
by the pituitary stalk
- About 1cm in diameter and 0.5-1g in
wt
The PG is composed of:
1) ANTERIOR PG (Adenohypophysis)
- Originates from Rathkes pouch
- Supplied with inferior hypophyseal
arteries (glial type cells)
2) POSTERIOR PG (Neurohypophysis)
- originates from diencephalon
- supplied with hypothalamic pituitary
portal plexus
NOTE:
The
anterior
lobe
constitutes
approximately 80% of the gland
In between these two lobes is a small,
relatively avascular zone called PARS
INTERMEDIA
ANTERIOR PITUITARY GLAND
(secretes[cell type])
1. GH [somatotropes]
2. Prolactin
[lactotropes]
[mammotropes]
3. TSH [thyrotropes]
4. ACTH [corticotropes]

5. LH and FSH [gonadotropes]

(1)Growth Hormone
- 191-amino-acid
single
chain
polypeptide
that
is
synthesized,
stored, & secreted by somatotropes in
the pituitary
- Its gene is the 1st in a cluster of 5
closely related gene on long arm of
Chromosome 17
GH1
CS1
CS2
GH2
CSP
- Secreted on a pulsatile fashion
under regulation of hypothalamic
hormones:
GHrH stimulates GH release
Somatostatin inhibits GH
release
- Ghrelin, a peptide produced in
arcuate nucleus of hypothalamus and
by the stomach, also stimulates GH
secretion
Sleep
Exercise
Physical stress
Trauma
Acute Illness
Puberty
Fasting
Hypoglycemia

Hyperglycemia
Hypothyroidism
Glucocorticoids

*GH binds to receptor molecules on the

surface of target cells
Biologic effects of GH:
1. Increase bone thickness
2. Increase in linear growth
3. Increase soft tissue growth
4. Increase protein synthesis
5. Increase fatty acid release
adipose tissue
6. Increase insulin resistance
7. Increase blood glucose levels

from

*mitogenic action of GH mediated through

increase in synthesis of IGF-I
Insulin-like Growth Factor I (IGF-I)
- Formerly named Somatomedin C
- 70 amino acid single chain peptide
coded for by a gene in long arm of
Chromosome 12
- Considerable homology to insulin
- Circulating IGF-I is synthesized in the
LIVER
and
formed
locally
in
mesodermal and ectodermal cells,

particularly in growth plate of children,

where its effect is exerted by
paracrine or autocrine mechanisms
Circulating levels are related to blood
levels of GH and to nutritional status
Bound to several binding proteins
(major one: IGF-BP3)

IGF-II
- 67 amino acid single chain protein that
is code for by a gene on short arm of
chromosome 11
- Homology to IGF-I
- Important in mitogen of bone cells

progressively used up
No additional epiphyseal cartilage remains to
provide for further long bone growth [late
adolescent]
Bony fusion occurs at each end [shaft +
epiphysis]
No further lengthening of long bone can
occur
2) Osteoblast in the bone periosteum and
in some bone cavities deposit new bone
on
the
surfaces
of
older
bone.
Simultaneously, osteoclast in the bone
remove old bone [resorption]
NOTE: When the rate of deposition is
GREATER than that of resorption, the
THICKNESS of the bone increases!
GH strongly stimulates OSTEOBLASTS

GH ---- cartilage and BONE growth

- GH increases growth of skeletal frame
- Effects of GH on bone:
Increased deposition of protein
by chrondocytic and osteogenic
cells that cause bone growth
Increased rate of reproduction
of these cells
A specific effect of converting
chondrocytes into osteogenic
cells, causing deposition of new
bone

2 PRINCIPAL MECHANISMS OF BONE

GROWTH
1) Long bones grow in length at the
epiphyseal
cartilages,
where
the
epiphyses at the ends of the bone are
separated from the shaft
Deposition of new
cartilage
Converted to new
bone
Elongation of the
shaft

**Pushing the
epiphyses farther
and farther apart

**at the same time, epiphyseal cartilage is

(2)Prolactin
- 199 amino acid peptide mode in
pituitary lactotropes
- Regulation of PRL is unique because is
consistently secreted unless it is
actively inhibited by Dopamine(produced
by
neurons
in
hypothalamus
[DISRUPTION
IN
HYPOTHALAMIC/PITUITARY STALK
INCREASES PRL LEVEL)
Dopamine antagonist
process causing
destruction of the
Dopamine antagonist
Primary hypothyroidism
TRH administration
Physiologic stress (shock)
Pituitary tumors
-

Primary physiologic rose is initiation

and maintenance of LACTATION
Prepares breast for lactation and
stimulates
milk
production
post
partum

(3)Thyroid Stimulating Hormone

- Consists of 2 glycoprotein chains (
and ) linked by hydrogen bonding
- subunit 89 amino acids and
identical to FSH, LH, HCG

subunit 112 amino acid which is

specific for TSH
Negative feedback of T3
Dopamine
Somatostatin
Glucocorticoids

(4)Adenocorticotropic Hormone
(5) LH and FSH