Library · Physiology
Function of the pituitary gland
Make it clearer
The pituitary is a gland with two lobes that always works in tandem with the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that gives it orders. That duo can be thought of as the command center of the endocrine system, which is the set of glands that communicate through hormones. And it gives orders in two ways: with hormones that act directly on a tissue and with hormones that direct other glands.
The back part and the front part do different things, and once you see that, the whole thing clicks. The posterior pituitary does not make hormones: it stores and delivers the ones from the hypothalamus, which are oxytocin and antidiuretic hormone, almost always shortened to ADH. It is a warehouse. The anterior pituitary does make them, but not on its own: the hypothalamus sends it releasing hormones, which are the order to secrete, and inhibiting hormones, which are the order to put the brakes on that secretion. It is a factory with a boss upstairs. Warehouse in back, factory in front, and the hypothalamus signing the orders for both.
In brief
The pituitary has two lobes and with the hypothalamus forms a complex that can be thought of as the endocrine system's command center: it secretes hormones that act on target tissues and others that regulate other glands' hormones.
The posterior pituitary makes no hormones: it stores and secretes the hypothalamic hormones oxytocin and antidiuretic hormone, or ADH.
Behind, a warehouse that stores and delivers; in front, a factory producing on the hypothalamus's orders.
The anterior pituitary does make hormones, and hypothalamic releasing and inhibiting hormones control its secretion.
Sources (1)
- OpenStax, Rice UniversityAnatomy and Physiology 2e, 17.3 The Pituitary Gland and HypothalamusPublished
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