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The pituitary gland or hypophysis is an endocrine gland in vertebrates. In humans , the pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain , protruding off the bottom of the hypothalamus . The human pituitary gland is oval shaped , about 1 cm in diameter, 0.5–1 gram (0.018–0.035 oz) in weight on average, and about the size of a kidney bean .
The pituitary gland is divided into three lobes: the anterior pituitary, the intermediate pituitary lobe, and the posterior pituitary. The hypothalamus controls the anterior pituitary's hormone secretion by sending releasing factors, called tropic hormones , down the hypothalamo-hypophysial portal system. [ 3 ]
The PVN contains magnocellular neurosecretory cells whose axons extend into the posterior pituitary, parvocellular neurosecretory cells that project to the median eminence, ultimately signalling to the anterior pituitary, and several populations of other cells that project to many different brain regions including parvocellular preautonomic cells that project to the brainstem and spinal cord.
Schematic of the HPA axis (CRH, corticotropin-releasing hormone; ACTH, adrenocorticotropic hormone) Hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal cortex The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA axis or HTPA axis) is a complex set of direct influences and feedback interactions among three components: the hypothalamus (a part of the brain located below the thalamus), the pituitary gland (a ...
The hypothalamus is a distinct part of the brain that is made up of neurons and its main purpose is to maintain homeostasis. [5] The hypothalamus also plays an important part in survival of the individual by integrating the interactions between hormonal and behavioral processes, such as, eating behavior and aggressive behavior. [5]
The pituitary gland is also found in the make up of the cranial cavity. It plays a major role in the body, creating and secreting many bodily hormones. The gland secretes different fluids that are important for the body to function. The body's temperature, physical, and sexual functions are regulated by this gland.
The tuberoinfundibular pathway transmits dopamine from the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland. This neural circuit plays a pivotal role in the regulation of hormonal balance and, specifically, in modulating the secretion of prolactin from the pituitary gland, which is responsible for breast milk production in females.
The central nervous system (CNS) is the part of the nervous system consisting primarily of the brain and spinal cord.The CNS is so named because the brain integrates the received information and coordinates and influences the activity of all parts of the bodies of bilaterally symmetric and triploblastic animals—that is, all multicellular animals except sponges and diploblasts.