Pituitary Gland

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Pituitary gland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Pituitary gland | | Located at the base of the brain, the pituitary gland is protected by a bony structure called the sella turcica of the sphenoid bone. | | Median sagittal through the hypophysis of an adult monkey. Semidiagrammatic. | Latin | hypophysis, glandula pituitaria | Gray 's | subject #275 1275 | Artery | superior hypophyseal artery,infundibular artery,prechiasmal artery, inferior hypophyseal artery, capsular artery, artery of the inferior cavernous sinus[1] | Precursor | neural and oral ectoderm, including Rathke 's pouch | MeSH | Pituitary+Gland | Dorlands/Elsevier | Pituitary gland |
In vertebrate anatomy the pituitary gland, or hypophysis, is an endocrine gland about the size of a pea and weighing 0.5 grams (0.018 oz) in humans. It is not a part of the brain. It is a protrusion off the bottom of the hypothalamus at the base of the brain, and rests in a small, bony cavity (sella turcica) covered by a dural fold (diaphragma sellae). The pituitary is functionally connected to the hypothalamus by the median eminence via a small tube called the infundibular stem (Pituitary stalk). The pituitary fossa, in which the pituitary gland sits, is situated in the sphenoid bone in the middle cranial fossa at the base of the brain. The pituitary gland secretes nine hormones that regulate homeostasis. Contents [hide] * 1 Anatomy * 2 Embryology * 2.1 Anterior * 2.2 Posterior * 2.3 Intermediate lobe * 3 Functions * 4 Diseases involving the pituitary gland * 5 Additional images * 6 See also * 7 References * 8 External links |
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[edit]Anatomy
The pituitary gland is a pea-sized gland that sits in a protective bony enclosure called the sella turcica. It is composed of three lobes: anterior,intermediate, and posterior. In many animals, these three lobes are distinct. However,

References: 1. ^ Gibo H, Hokama M, Kyoshima K, Kobayashi S (1993). "[Arteries to the pituitary]". Nippon Rinsho 51 (10): 2550–4. PMID 8254920. 2. ^ Knepel W, Homolka L, Vlaskovska M, Nutto D. (1984). Stimulation of adrenocorticotropin/beta-endorphin release by synthetic ovine corticotropin-releasing factor in vitro. Enhancement by various vasopressin analogs. Neuroendocrinology. 38(5):344-50. 3. ^ Shlomo Melmed (3 December 2010). The pituitary. Academic Press. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-12-380926-1. 4. ^ Boron, Walter F.; Boulpaep, Emile L. (2009). Medical Physiology (2nd ed. ed.). Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier. pp. 1016–1017. ISBN 978-1-4160-3115-4. 5. ^ a b c d Romer, Alfred Sherwood; Parsons, Thomas S. (1977). The Vertebrate Body. Philadelphia, PA: Holt-Saunders International. pp. 549–550. ISBN 0-03-910284-X. 6. ^ Wells, M. J.; Wells, J. (1969). "Pituitary Analogue in the Octopus". Nature 222 (5190): 293–294. doi:10.1038/222293a0. | [show] * v  * t  * eHuman anatomy, endocrine system: endocrine glands (TA A11, TH H3.08, GA 11.1269) |