Intro | Anterior Pituitary | Adrenal Glands | Ovaries | Pancreas | Posterior Pituitary | Testes | Thyroid
Part 1: Image-Mapped Tutorial
Part 2: Matching Self-Test
Part 3: Multiple-Choice Self-Test
The Anterior Pituitary, located deep in the cranium at the base of the brain, is the front portion of the "master gland". It produces and secretes hormones that control the hormonal secretions of the thyroid gland, pancreas, cortex of the adrenal gland, and the gonads (the ovaries of the females and the testes of the male). The gonadal hormones are called gonadotropins. Gondaotropins are responsible for sexual differentiation during fetal development and again during puberty. In addition, the anterior pituitary gland produces and releases growth hormone.
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If you placed your finger just above your nose, you would be only inches away from the pituitary gland. It was thought by one of our earliest anatomists', Andreas Vesalius of Brussels (1514-1564), that the pituitary gland was responsible for nasal discharge. Hence, its name which means nasal secretion in Latin. Many years of research have broadened our knowledge of this tiny, yet extremely important master gland. The pituitary gland is divided into two portions, the anterior and posterior. The hypothalamus transports its releasing hormones to the cells of the anterior pituitary via the bloodstream. The hormones that are produced in response within the anterior pituitary are transported to the target glands also via the circulatory system.
The anterior pituitary produces and secretes thyroid-stimulating hormone (which stimulates the thyroid gland), luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormone (which stimulate the gonads; ovaries and testes), adrenal-corticotropic hormone (ACTH; which stimulates the adrenal cortex), and prolactin (which stimulates the mammary glands).