HYPOTHALAMUS & PITUITARY

GLAND
Dr. Shamama Firdaus
Assistant Professor
DMAMCH&RC
 HYPOTHALAMUS
• Hypothalamus has 3 basic functions:
1. Concern with limbic system
2. Concern with endocrine system
3. Concern with endocrine system
• Location :hypothalamus extend from optic
chiasma upto the upper part of the midbrain.
• Hypothalamus is mainly a sheath of grey.
• Weight : 4 gm
• As we know, pituitary gland is a master endocrine
gland. Pituitary gland itself has a master i.e.
Hypothalamus
• Hypothalamus cell synthesized at least 9 different
hormone.
• The hypothalamus produces releasing (liberins) &
inhibiting (statins) hormones, which start & stop
the production of other hormones.
• The main releasing hormones are as follows:
1. TRH (Thyrotropin releasing hormone)
2. CRH (Corticotropin releasing hormone)
3. GnRH (Gonadotropin releasing hormone)
4. GHRH ( Growth hormone releasing hormone)
5. PRH (Prolactin releasing hormone)

• The main inhibiting hormones are as follows:

1. GHIH (Growth hormone inhibiting hormone)
2. PIH (Prolactin inhibiting hormone)
• Oxytocin & Vasopressin these two another
hypothalamic hormones that stores &
releases into blood.
 PITUITARY GLAND
• Synonyms: Hypophysis
• Among 20 endocrine gland, pituitary gland is
very important & called master of endocrine
gland.
• Pituitary gland is master of endocrine gland
because it control the activity of other
endocrine gland.
• Location : It is below the hypothalamus in the
hypophyseal fossa of the sella turcica of
sphenoid bone.
• Pituitary attached to hypothalamus by stalk
called infundibulum.
• Shape: Pea shape
• Divisions of Pituitary Gland:
1. Anterior lobe
2. Posterior lobe
3. Intermediate lobe
 ANTERIOR LOBE

• It is also called Adenohypophysis

• It secrets 6 hormone, out of 6, 4 hormones are
called Trophin hormone.
• Trophin means Turn on which stimulate the
other 4 endocrine gland for its function &
function.
• It is made up of glandular cells.
 Types of Anterior Pituitary cell & their
hormones:
• Five type of anterior pituitary cell secrete six
hormones:

Secretory cell Hormone

Somatotrophs Growth hormone/ Somatotropin
Thyrotrophs Thyroid Stimulating Hormone
Gonadotrophs Follicle Stimulating Hormone
Luteinizing Hormone
Lactotrophs Prolactin
Corticotrophs Adrenocorticotropin Hormone
Hypothalamic control of the Anterior
Pituitary
• Release of anterior pituitary hormones is
regulated by hypothalamus. The
hypothalamus secretes five releasing & two
inhibiting hormones.
• Hypothalamic hormone that release or inhibit
anterior pituitary hormones reach the anterior
pituitary through Hypophyseal portal system.
• Usually , blood passes from artery to a
capillary to a vein and back to the heart.
• In portal system, blood flows from one
capillary network into a portal vein & then
into a second capillary network before
returning to the heart.
• In the Hypophyseal portal system, blood flows
from capillaries in the hypothalamus into
portal veins that carry blood to capillaries of
the anterior pituitary.
Control of Anterior Pituitary Secretion
• Regulation of anterior pituitary secretion by
the hypothalamus occurs as follows.
1. Neurosecretory cells of hypothalamus
synthesize hypothalamic releasing and
inhibiting hormone.
2. When the Neurosecretory cells of the
hypothalamus are excited, nerve impulses
trigger exocytosis of the vesicles. The
hypothalamic hormones then diffuses into
the blood of the primary plexus of the
hypophyseal portal system.
3. Hypothalamic hormones are transported by
the blood through the hypophyseal portal veins
& into the secondary plexus. Within the
secondary plexus the hypothalamic hormones
diffuse out of the bloodstream & interact with
anterior pituitary cells. after stimulated by the
appropriate hypothalamic releasing hormones,
the anterior pituitary cells secrete hormones
into the secondary plexus capillaries.
4. From the secondary plexus capillaries, the
anterior pituitary hormones drain into the
hypophyseal veins & out into the general
circulation. Anterior pituitary hormones then
travel to target tissues throughout the body.
 GROWTH HORMONE/ SOMATOTROPIN

Actions of growth hormone:

1. ON METABOLISM:
• GH increases the synthesis of proteins,
mobilization of fats & conservation of
carbohydrates
• On protein metabolism
GH accelerates the synthesis of proteins:
i. increasing amino acid transport through cell
membrane.
ii. increasing RNA translation
iii. increasing transcription of DNA to RNA
iv. Decreasing catabolism of protein
v. promoting anabolism of protein indirectly

• On fat metabolism
GH mobilizes fats from adipose tissue.

• On carbohydrate metabolism
Major action of GH on carbohydrate is the
conservation of glucose.
 Effects of GH on carbohydrate metabolism:
i. Decrease in the peripheral utilization of
glucose for the production of energy.
ii. Increase in the deposition of glycogen in the
cell.
iii. Decrease in the uptake of glucose by the cell.

2. On bones
• In embryonic stage, GH is responsible for the
differentiation & development of bone cells.
• In later stages, GH increases the growth of the
skeleton. It increases length as well as
thickness of the bones. but after the
epiphyseal fusion, length of the bone cannot
be increased, however the bone continues to
grow in thickness throughout the life.

• In bones, GH increases:
i. synthesis & deposition of proteins by
chondrocytes & osteogenic cells.
ii. Multiplication of chondrocytes & osteogenic
cells by enhancing the intestinal calcium
absorption.
iii. Formation of new bones by converting
chondrocytes into osteogenic cells
Regulation of GH secretion
• Growth hormone secretion is altered by various
factors.
• However, hypothalamus & feedback mechanism
play an important role in the regulation of GH
secretion.
Factor stimulating GH secretion is:
1. Hypoglycemia
2. Fasting
3. Starvation
4. Exercise
5. Stress & trauma

Factor inhibiting GH secretion is:

1. Hyperglycemia
2. increase in free fatty acids in blood
 THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE
• TSH is necessary for the growth & secretory
activity of the thyroid gland.

ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC HORMONE
• ACTH is necessary for the structural integrity
& the secretory activity of adrenal cortex.
 FOLLICLE STIMULATING HORMONE
• Actions of FSH
In females
1. FSH causes the development of Graafian
Follicle from primordial follicle.
2. It stimulates the theca cells of Graafian
Follicle & causes secretion of estrogen.
3. FSH promotes the aromatase activity in
granulosa cells, resulting in conversion of
androgen into estrogen.
 In males
• FSH acts along with testosterone & accelerates
the process of spermiogenesis.
 LUTEINIZING HORMONE
In females
1. LH causes maturation of vesicular follicle into
Graafian follicle along with follicle stimulating
hormone.
2. It induces synthesis of androgen from theca
cells of growing follicle.
3. It is responsible for ovulation.
4. LH is necessary for the formation of corpus
luteum.
5. LH activates the secretory function of corpus
luteum.
In males
• LH is known as interstitial cell-stimulating
hormone (ICSH) because it stimulate the
interstitial cells of leydig cells in testes to
secrete testosterone.
 PROLACTIN HORMONE
• Prolactin is necessary for the final preparation
of mammary glands for the production and
secretion of milk.
• Prolactin acts directly on the epithelial cells of
mammary gland and causes localized alveolar
hyperplasia.
 POSTERIOR LOBE
• It is also called Neurohypophysis.
• It does not synthesize hormone, it does store
& release two hormon.
• Actually it is an extension of hypothalamus.
• It consist of axon & axon terminals of more
than 10,000 hypothalamic neurosecretory cell.
• The cell bodies of neurosecretory cell are in
the hyothalamus.
• The neuronal cell bodies produce the
antidiuretic & oxytocin hormone.
• After production in the cell bodies, oxytocin &
ADH hormone are packaged into secretory
vesicles, which move by fast axonal transport
to the axon terminals in the posterior
pituitary, where they are stored until nerve
impulses are trigger exocytosis & release of
the hormone.
 ANTIDIURETIC HORMONE
Action of ADH
• Antidiuretic hormone has two function
1. Retention of water
• Major function of ADH is retention of water by
acting on kidneys.
• It increases the facultative reabsorption of
water from DCT and CT in the kidneys.
2. Vasopressor action
• In large amount ADH shows vasoconstrictor
action.

Regulation of secretion of ADH

• ADH secretion depends upon the volume of
body fluid & osmolarity of body fluid.
 OXYTOCIN HORMONE
In females
1. Action of Oxytocin on mammary gland:
Oxytocin causes ejection of milk from the
mammary gland.
2. Action of Oxytocin on uterus:
• on pregnant uterus:
Throughout the period of pregnancy,
Oxytocin secretion is inhibited by estrogen &
 progestron. At the end of pregnancy , the
secretion decreases suddenly & secretion of
oxytocin increases.
oxytocin causes contraction of uterus &
expulsion of fetus.
• on non-pregnant uterus:
Action of oxytocin on non-pregnant uterus is
to facilitate the transport of sperms through
female genital tract up to the fallopian tube by
producing the uterine contraction during
sexual intercourse.
In males
• oxytocin secretion increases during
ejaculation.
• it facilitates release of sperm into urethra by
causing contraction of smooth muscle fiber in
reproductive tract.
 INTERMEDIATE LOBE

• Intermediate lobe is a small & relatively

avascular structure, which is present in
between the two divisions.
• Intermediate lobe of pituitary secret
Melanocyte secreting hormone (MSH).
• Melanocytes are melanin producing cell, this
melanin are responsible for black coloration of
skin & hair.
• Most of the time, during pregnancy MSH
secretion increase due to this black spot are
seen on the body of pregnant lady.
• Corticotrophs secretes MSH.

Corticotrophs are the cells in the anterior pituitary that

release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH),
melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), and lipotropin. .
.. The ACTH stimulates the adrenal gland to secrete
glucocorticoids, MSH, mineralocorticoid, and androgens.
Also called: corticotropic cell.
Thank you