the saddJe-Iike depression of the sphenoid bono, j ust behind the optic chiasm.

]'he p ituitary is at tached to the und er s urface o f the y )Y a shorl slender stalk called the infundihulum. T he p it ui tar co nt ai n s t \v o tn ai n p ar s : g th e a nte r i o r p i t u i t a r y l a n d a n d t h e p o s t e r i o r p i t u i t a r y ,fland. The majos endocrine glands and hormones are suminarized in Table 12-92. The secretion of the anterior pituitary gland is co nt ro lled b y the h yp o thala mu s (Fig 1 2 -4 ). Al thou g h it is par of the brain, the hypothalamu s secretes several hormones and so is also considered to b e an e nd o c r i ne gl a nd . T h e h yp o t h ala mu s se cretes hormones called releasing hormones and release-inlilbiting liormones. These hormones either stimulate or inhibit the secretion of a specific a n t e r i o r p t u i t a r y h o r m o n e . F o r i n s t a n c e , p r o lact i n rele as i n g ho r mo ne, s ec r eted b y t he h yp o thalamus, stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete p r o l a c t i n ( P R L ) . P r o l a c t i n - i n h i b i t i n g h o r mo n e (P114), secreted by the hypothalamus, inhibits the s e c r e t io n o f p ro l a c ti n b y t h e a n t e r i o r p i t u i t ar y gland. VMv do the hypothalamic hormones reach the a n t e r i o r p i t u i t a r y g l a n d ? T h e h y p o t h a l a m u s s e cretes its hor mo nes into a'net wo rk o f capillaries (t i n y b l o o d ve ss ei s) th at co n n ec t t he h yp o t ha la m u s wi t h t h e a n t e r i o r p i t u i t a r y g l a n d ( s e e , F i g . 12-4A). These connecting ,,, capllaries are called

the t i y l ) ot hal a mi c - hy po pl i y s e aI portal system. T h u s . h o r m o n e s s e c r e t e d b y t h e h y p o t h a l a m u s flos.v through the portal capillaries to the anterior pituitary. The hypothalarnic hormones control the secretion of anterior pituitary hormones.

Anterior Pituitary
The anterior pituitar y gland . is co mponed o f glandular epithelial tissue - The anterior pituitary is al so c al led t he a d e i i o hy p< > p hy s i s
(cideno mearas glandular-

means p ituitar y) . The anter ior p ituitary secretes s i x ma j o s ho r mo n e s ( s e e F i g . 1 2 - 4 A g l a n d T ab l e 12-2). These control other glands and affect many or an sy st e m s. I n l a c t . t h e I an te ri or p itu itary a f fects so mal Y other glands that it is oliera called the master gla i j ( j . Ih ,l The hormones ( ) f the anterior pi tuitary induce Y" .>d-stiiiitjlitiji hormone (TSH), t h e g adrenocOrticOtropiC 1111- (,Y-Owtll horm o n e ( G I 1 ) . : i l i a n d prolactin (PRL).

Posterior Pituitary
The posterior pituitary glatricl is an extension of the hypothalamus (sea F ig. 12-4C). ']'he poste- rior pituitary is co ml)osed of nervous tissue and is therefore called ffle neurohypophysis (n5bi`6_ hT-pVI-sis). The two hormones of the posterior pi tuitary gland are procluced in the hypothalamus. transportad clown the stalk, ()r i fur)dibtiluiii. and stored in the glancl until needed. Nerve impulses from the hypothalamus stimulate release of poste r i o r p i t u i t a r y T h e t w o h o r m o n e s a r e Antidiuretic hormone and oxytocin.
. li