FUNCTION OF PITUITARY HORMONES

1. ENDOCRINE PHYSIOLOGY
- Involves in 1) the secretion of hormones and their 2) subsequent actions on target tissues
- Hormone: chemical substance (peptide, steroid, or amine) that synthesized and secreted by endocrine cells and released into the blood circulation in small amounts and
delivered to target tissues and thus produce physiologic responses. * Peptide hormones & catecholamines = hydrophilic * Steroid hormones & thyroid hormones = lipophilic
Endocrine glands Classical : Hypothalamus, anterior and posterior lobes of the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal cortex, adrenal medulla, gonads, placenta, pancreas
Non-classical: Kidney, endocrine cells scattered in GIT

-Endocrine system + nervous system are responsible for homeostasis. Both function as: regulate growth, development, reproduction, blood pressure, concentrations of ions and
other substances in blood, behaviour. (Fig 1)
-Hypothalamus link nervous system & endocrine system (NS sent impulse to H & then H will signal to ant. or post. pituitary gland (endocrine g. to secrete hormone)

2. ANTERIOR PITUITARY HORMONES

*6 type of anterior pituitary hormones 1. Gonadotropin (FSH & LH) 2. ACTH 3. GH 4. Prolactin 5. TSH
– The above hormones are peptides, proteins, or glycoproteins and synthesized and secreted by distinct cell types within the anterior pituitary (adenohypophysis)
–Tropic hormones: 1. bind to their respective receptors on peripheral endocrine glands 2. A hormone that stimulates an endocrine gland to secrete its hormone.
– For example, anterior pituitary gland secretes ACTH (hormone) that can acts on adrenal gland (in adrenal cortex) to secrete cortisol (steroid hormone = endocrine hormone
releases into blood circulation). However, prolactin is an endocrine hormone that acts on mammary gland to produce milk but not other hormone.
– Prolactin is not a tropic hormone!
– Anterior pituitary hormones are mainly controlled by EITHER hypothalamic releasing hormone or inhibiting hormone. Dual control only for (e.g. GH,prolactin)

3. REGULATION OF ANTERIOR PITUITARY HORMONE  Aim: MAINTAIN HOMEOSTASIS *Xdek hypothalamic inhibiting hormone sbb bkn hormone dual control )
– LOW peripheral hormone level (e.g cortisol) = HIGH secretion of hypothalamic releasing hormones (e.g. CRH) and HIGH anterior pituitary hormones (e.g. ACTH)

– HIGH peripheral hormone level (e.g. cortisol) = LOW secretion of the *hypothalamic releasing hormones (e.g. CRH) & LOW anterior pituitary hormones (e.g. ACTH)