Lecture 38 Flashcards
Pituitary gland in brain location
Hypothalamus connected to pituitary gland via infundibulum aka pituitary stalk
Embryo has 2 tubes
Neural tube forms majority of nervous system. Gut tube forms majority of digestive system
Pituitary gland - development
4th week of development: ep cells lining roof of mouth proliferate and migrate to form loop structure. At the same time, floor of
diencephalon bulges
Floor of diencephalon continues to
proliferate. Roof of mouth makes complete loop, and space within it is Rathke’s pouch.
Soon, the roof of mouth ep cells will separate and migrate with the floor of diencephalon.
Overall: roof of mouth becomes anterior lobe (pars distalis) and pars tuberalis, and maybe pars intermedia; floor of diencephalon becomes posterior lobe (pars nervose)
Pituitary gland structure
2 lobes: pars distalis (anterior lobe) and pars nervosa (posterior lobe)
Pars intermedia is part of pars distalis and are ep cells that align next to pars nervosa
Pars tuberalis is part of pars distalis, and is wrapped around infundibulum and part of the pars nervosa.
Pituitary-hypothalamus communication
Infundibulum connects hypothalamus to pituitary. Median eminence extends into pars nervosa, and this extension point is called infundibular process. Infundibulum = median eminence + infundibular process
Paraventricular and supraoptic make hormones and direct release into pars nervosa.
Hypothalamus-hypophysiotropic nucleus influences pars distalis. HHN does not make hormones. Pars distalis makes hormones. HHN sends signals and releases substances that influence the pars distalis. HHN axons terminate in the median eminence. They cannot have direct pathway with pars distalis bc pars distalis was embryologically derived from ep cells lining roof of mouth, unlike with pars nervosa.
Pars nervosa = posterior lobe = neurohypophysis
Pars distalis = anterior lobe = adenohypophysis
Blood supply in hypothalamus to pars nervosa
Pars nervosa receive blood directly from inferior hypophysial artery, which forms a capillary plexus in the pars nervosa. When PVN and SN produce hormones and give to pars nervosa, it is released into this
capillary plexus, which allows the hormones to travel through vascular system.
Blood supply in hypothalamus to pars distalis
Pars distalis receives blood indirectly via superior hypophysial artery, which forms a capillary plexus in the median eminence. This capillary plexus makes a secondary capillary plexus in the pars distalis. Bc there are 2 plexuses that communicate with each other, this is a hypothalamo-hypophysial portal system, which takes what is released in median eminence and transports it into secondary capillary plexus in the pars distalis
Overall hypothalamus to pars nervosa
its hormones are made by PVN and SN, which travel along axons into pars nervosa, released directly into capillary plexus. Their
hormones (oxytocin, antidiuretic hormone) travel in bloodstream to target tissues
Overall hypothalamus to pars distalis
HHN releases activating or inhibiting substances into primary capillary plexus in the median eminence. The substances
travel through HHPS into secondary capillary plexus of pars distalis. These substances activate or inhibit 2 cell types in pars distalis: basophils and acidophils. These cells make hormones (ACTH, FSH LH, TSH, GH, prolactin), which are released into vascular system, acting on target organs
H and E: pituitary gland
Pars distalis is dark, pars nervosa is light
Pars intermedia has colloid-filled follicles called remnants of Rathke’s pouch
H and E: Pars Distalis
Chromophils: acidophil attract acidophilic dye, basophil attracted to basophilic dyes + stipple appearance. They are strongly
attracted to dye bc these cells make hormones and package the hormones into secretory vesicles
Chromophobes are lighter, bc these cells do not produce hormones. These cells already secreted hormones or did not produce hormones in the first place.
Fenestrated capillaries here too bc hormones are released here to travel to vascular system
Types of acidophils and their hormones
- Somatotrophs make growth hormone
- Mammotrophs make prolactin
- acts on mammary glands
Types of basophils and their hormones
- Gonadotrophs make LH and FSH
- act on male and female reproductive system - Thyrotrophs make TSH
- acts on thyroid gland - Corticotrophs make ACTH
- acts on adrenal cortex
Gonadotrophs
A basophil. Makes LH and FSH.
FSH
- controls menstrual cycle and stimulate growth of eggs in follicular cells in ovaries
- stimulates and maintains spermatogenesis in Sertoli cells
LH
- stimulates leydig cells to produce androgenic hormones (i.e. testosterone)
- aids in egg maturation in ovary and provides hormonal trigger for ovulation to occur
Pathway stimulated by gonadotrophin releasing hormone, GnRH
Pathway inhibited by inhibin hormone, released by follicular and Sertoli cells
Thyrotrophs
Basophil.
TSH
- goes to thyroid gland
- Stimulates the production of T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine)
- Essential to maintain metabolic rates, heart and digestive functions, and much more
- pathway stimulated by Thyrotrophin releasing hormone (TRH)
- pathway inhibited by T3