Posterior Pituitary: DR Axelle Saverettiar Mbbs Physiology Department SSR Medical College

POSTERIOR PITUITARY
DR AXELLE SAVERETTIAR
MBBS
PHYSIOLOGY DEPARTMENT
SSR MEDICAL COLLEGE
PITUITARY GLAND
 The pituitary gland also called
the hypophysis is a small gland.
 Diameter: 1 cm
 Weight: 0.5 – 1 g
 It lies in the sella turcica, a
bony cavity at the base of the
brain.
PITUITARY GLAND
 It is connected to the hypothalamus by the pituitary or hypophysial
stalk.
PITUITARY GLAND
 Physiologically, the pituitary gland is divided into
two portions:
 Anterior pituitary (Adenohypophysis)
 Posterior pituitary (Neurohypophysis)
 Between these two portions is a small relatively
avascular zone called pars intermedia.
PITUITARY GLAND
PITUITARY GLAND
PITUITARY GLAND
Originate from Rathke’s

pouch which is an
Anterior lobe embryonic invagination
of the pharyngeal
Embryological epithelium.
structure Originate from a
neural tissue
Posterior lobe
outgrowth from
the hypothalamus.
PITUITARY GLAND
HORMONES SECRETED BY PITUITARY GLAND
POSTERIOR PITUITARY
HORMONES OF
POSTERIOR
PITUITARY
Antidiuretic
hormone (ADH) or Oxytocin
Vasopressin
HORMONES OF POSTERIOR PITUITARY
PITUICYTES
 Posterior pituitary is made up of
the pituicytes which are glial like
cells.
 The pituicytes do not secrete
hormones.
 They act simply as a supporting
structure for large numbers of
terminal nerve fibers and
terminal nerve endings from
nerve tracts that originate in the
supraoptic and paraventricular
nuclei of the hypothalamus.
• Posterior pituitary hormones are synthesized in
cell bodies located in large neurons called
SYNTHESIS magnocellular neurons located in the supraoptic
and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus.
• The hormones are transported along the
hypothalamo- hypophyseal tract in combination
TRANSPORT with “carrier” proteins called neurophysins down to
the nerve endings in the posterior pituitary gland .
• The hormones are stored in nerve
STORAGE endings in the posterior pituitary
gland
• The nerve endings are bulbous knobs that
contain many secretory granules where they
SECRETION secrete two posterior pituitary hormones:
• Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) or Vasopressin
• Oxytocin
• When nerve impulses are transmitted
downward along the fibers from the supraoptic
and paraventricular nuclei, the hormone is
RELEASE immediately released from the secretory
granules in the nerve endings by exocytosis and
is absorbed into adjacent capillaries..
Nuclei of
hypothalamus
Supraoptic Paraventricula
nuclei r nuclei
1/6
ADH Oxytocin 1/6 ADH
Oxytocin
• Secretion from the posterior pituitary is

controlled by nerve signals that originate in the
CONTROL hypothalamus and terminate in the posterior
pituitary to reach the gland.
ANTIDIURETIC HORMONE OR VASOPRESSIN
ADH is formed:
 Primarily in the supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus
 in small quantity by the paraventricular nucleus of the
hypothalamus.
ADH is a polypeptide containing 9 amino acids.
Cys-Tyr-Phe-Gln-Asn-Cys-Pro-Arg-GlyNH2
Actions of ADH
Actions of ADH
I. Kidneys
 The major action of ADH is retention of water by acting on the
kidneys.
 It increases reabsorption of water by acting on the DCT and CD and
increasing the permeability of the cells to water.
I. Kidneys
Mechanism of action:
1. When ADH acts on the cell, it first
combines with membrane
receptors (V2 receptors)
2. It activates adenylylcyclase.
3. This increases the formation of
cAMP inside the tubular cell
cytoplasm
4. It activates protein kinase.
I. Kidneys
5. This causes phosphorylation of
elements to promote exocytosis of
a large number of special vesicles
that have highly water-permeable
pores called aquaporins in the
apical cell membranes.
6.Provides more areas of high
water permeability.
I. Kidneys
7. Thus this process temporarily
provides many new pores that
allow free diffusion of water from
the tubular fluid through the
tubular epithelial cells and into the
renal interstitial fluid.
8. Water is then absorbed from the
collecting tubules and ducts by
osmosis.
In the absence of ADH In the presence of ADH
The collecting tubules and Permeability of the collecting

ducts become almost ducts and tubules to water
impermeable to water increases
Prevents significant Allows most of the water to be

reabsorption of water reabsorbed as the tubular fluid
passes through these ducts
Therefore allows extreme

loss of water into the urine Conserving water in the body
Extreme dilution of the urine Producing very concentrated urine

Actions of ADH
II. Vascular smooth muscles
 It acts on V1A receptors.
 It causes contraction of
vascular smooth muscles.
 This leads to vasoconstriction
and raised blood pressure.
Extracellular fluid
osmolarity ADH
Extracellular ECF volume
fluid osmolarity
ECF volume Extracellular fluid
osmolarity ADH
Regulation of ECF volume
ADH secretion
Blood volume
ADH
Blood pressure
Blood volume
Blood pressure
Blood volume
ADH
Blood pressure
Regulation of ADH secretion

1. Extracellular fluid osmolarity/
ECF volume
I. Increased extracellular fluid
osmolarity
(decreased ECF volume)
1. Extracellular fluid osmolarity / ECF
volume
I. Increased extracellular fluid
osmolarity (decreased ECF volume)
Osmoreceptors:
 Modified neuron receptors
 Found in the
 Hypothalamus (in the supraoptic
nuclei)
 In the organum vasculosum, a highly
vascular structure in the anteroventral
wall of the third ventricle.
1. Extracellular fluid osmolarity / ECF volume
I. Increased extracellular fluid osmolarity (decreased ECF volume)
 When the extracellular fluid becomes too concentrated, fluid is

pulled by osmosis out of the osmoreceptor cell thus decreasing its
size.
 This initiates appropriate nerve signals in the hypothalamus to cause
additional ADH secretion.
II. Decreased extracellular fluid osmolarity (increased ECF volume)
Water moves
by osmosis in
Extracellular the opposite Decreases the
fluid becomes direction into signal for ADH
too dilute the secretion
osmoreceptor
cell.
2. Blood volume / Blood pressure
I. Decreased blood volume and
blood pressure
I. Decreased blood volume and blood pressure
 The receptor are under filled and unexcited
 There is decreased stretch of receptors
 Signals are sent to increase ADH secretion
II. Increased blood volume and increased blood pressure
 The baroreceptors are excited by overfilling.
 When excited, they send signals to the brain to inhibit ADH
secretion.
ANTIDIURETIC HORMONE OR
VASOPRESSIN
Stimuli Receptor Increased ADH Decreased ADH
mediated secretion secretion
1. Osmotic Osmoreceptors Increased Decreased

osmolarity osmolarity
2. Non - osmotic Baroreceptors Decreased BP Increased BP

ANTIDIURETIC HORMONE OR
VASOPRESSIN
Increased ADH secretion Decreased ADH secretion
Renin angiotensin mechanism Atrial Natriuretic Peptide
Pain, chronic emotional stress or Adrenaline

physical trauma
Age - Elderly Alcohol
Cortisol and thyroid hormones
Nausea and vomiting

Standing posture
Disorders of ADH
secretion
SIADH Diabetes Insipidus

SIADH
SIADH – Syndrome of Inappropriate AntiDiuretic Hormone
It is a condition of hyper secretion of ADH
SIADH
Causes • Tumors
Pulmonary • Pneumonia
causes • Tuberculosis
• COPD
• Meningitis
CNS • Tumors
causes
• Head injury
• Cyclophosphamide
Drugs
• Carbamazepine
SIADH
Pathogenesis
SIADH
Features
Continued urinary sodium excretion
Urine osmolality exceeds plasma osmolality
Hyponatremia (decreased sodium level)

SIADH
Clinical features
NAUSEA
VOMITING
IRRITABILITY
DIABETES INSIPIDUS
It is a disorder characterized by excess excretion of water
through urine
Primary deficiency
Deficient
production of ADH
(Central DI)
Secondary
Diabetes Insipidus
deficiency
Deficient action of
ADH
(Nephrogenic DI)
DIABETES INSIPIDUS
Causes
DIABETES INSIPIDUS
Pathogenesis
Water is
The epithelial not
cells of DCT reabsorbed Loss of
Absence of and CD from the water
ADH become renal through
impermeable tubules and urine
to water. collecting
duct
DIABETES INSIPIDUS
Features
Urine osmolality < plasma osmolality
Serum sodium level is high

DIABETES INSIPIDUS
Clinical features:
1. Polyuria
 Daily urine output >
50ml/kg/day and can reach as
high as 10 -15 L
2. Polydipsia (excessive thirst)

 Due to loss of water, the thirst
center is stimulated resulting in
intake of large quantity of
water.
OXYTOCIN
Oxytocin is formed:
 Primarily in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus
 in small quantity by the supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus.
OXYTOCIN
Oxytocin is a polypeptide containing 9 amino acids.
Cys-Tyr-Ile-Gln-Asn-Cys-Pro-Leu-GlyNH2
OXYTOCIN
Actions of oxytocin
OXYTOCIN
Actions of oxytocin
I. Uterus
A. On pregnant uterus
Toward the Contraction of

Helps in birth
end of the pregnant
of the baby.
gestation. uterus.
OXYTOCIN
Actions of oxytocin
I. Uterus
OXYTOCIN
Actions of oxytocin
I. Uterus
 At the onset of labour, the cervix dilates and fetus descends through
birth canal.
 This stimulates the receptors on the cervix which starts discharging
large number of impulses.
 The impulses are carried to the paraventricular and supraoptic
nuclei of hypothalamus
 They secrete large quantity of oxytocin.
OXYTOCIN
Actions of oxytocin
I. Uterus
B. On non-pregnant uterus

 It facilitates transport of sperms through the female genital tract up
to the fallopian tubes by producing uterine contraction during
sexual intercourse.
OXYTOCIN
Actions of oxytocin
II. Mammary glands
 Oxytocin plays an
important role in
lactation
 Oxytocin aids in
milk ejection by
the breasts.
OXYTOCIN
Actions of oxytocin
II. Mammary glands
Touch receptors are present on the mammary glands around the nipple.
The suckling stimuli on the nipple of the breast, touch receptors are stimulated.
This causes signals to be transmitted through sensory nerves to the oxytocin
neurons in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei in the hypothalamus,
There is release of oxytocin by the posterior pituitary gland.
The oxytocin is then carried by the blood to the breasts, where it causes
contraction of myoepithelial cells that lie outside of and form a lattice work
surrounding the alveoli of the mammary glands.
Milk is expressed from the alveoli into the ducts of the breast
 In less than a minute after the beginning of suckling, milk begins to flow.
This mechanism is called milk letdown or milk ejection reflex.
OXYTOCIN
Actions of oxytocin
III. Males
 The circulating amount of oxytocin increases during ejaculation.
 It causes increased contraction of smooth muscles which helps in
propelling the sperms into the urethra.

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POSTERIOR PITUITARY

Originate from Rathke’s

• Secretion from the posterior pituitary is

In the absence of ADH In the presence of ADH

The collecting tubules and Permeability of the collecting

Prevents significant Allows most of the water to be

Therefore allows extreme

Extreme dilution of the urine Producing very concentrated urine

Regulation of ADH secretion

 When the extracellular fluid becomes too concentrated, fluid is

1. Osmotic Osmoreceptors Increased Decreased

2. Non - osmotic Baroreceptors Decreased BP Increased BP

Renin angiotensin mechanism Atrial Natriuretic Peptide

Pain, chronic emotional stress or Adrenaline

Age - Elderly Alcohol

Cortisol and thyroid hormones

Nausea and vomiting

SIADH Diabetes Insipidus

Continued urinary sodium excretion

Urine osmolality exceeds plasma osmolality

Hyponatremia (decreased sodium level)

Urine osmolality < plasma osmolality

Serum sodium level is high

2. Polydipsia (excessive thirst)

Toward the Contraction of

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