Pituitary Gland

Question 1

What does the pituitary gland do?

Answer 1

• acts as the chemical coordinator of most of the other endocrine glands
• often called the ‘master gland’

Question 2

Where is the pituitary gland situated?

Answer 2

• at the base of the brain by a short stalk

Question 3

What is another name for the pituitary?

Answer 3

• the hypophysis

Question 4

What hormones are secreted by the pituitary?

Answer 4

• Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
• Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
• Luteinizing hormone (LH)
• Prolactin
• Interstitial cell stimulating hormone (ICSH)
• Growth hormone (GH) or somatotrophic hormone (STH)

Question 5

What does thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) do?

Answer 5

• stimulated the thyroid gland to secrete thyroxin

Question 5

What does follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) do in females?

Answer 5

• stimulates oogenesis in the ovary
• (the formation of eggs)

Question 6

What does follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) do in males?

Answer 6

• stimulates spermatogenesis in the testes
• (sperm formation)

Question 7

What does luteinizing hormone (LH) do?

Answer 7

• stimulates ovulation (release of an egg) from the ovary
• and the formation of the corpus luteum

Question 8

What does prolactin do?

Answer 8

• stimulates the production of milk in the female mammary glands after the birth of the baby

Question 9

What does interstitial cell stimulating hormone (ICSH) do?

Answer 9

• stimulates the testes to secrete testosterone

Question 10

What does growth hormone (GH)/somatotrophic hormone (STH) do?

Answer 10

• promotes skeletal and muscular growth
• by stimulating the synthesis of proteins

Question 11

What is hypersecretion?

Answer 11

• over secretion of a hormone

Question 12

What is hyposecretion?

Answer 12

• under secretion of a hormone

Question 13

What does prepubertal hypersecretion of growth hormone result in?

Answer 13

• overdevelopment of the skeleton
• known as gigantism
• usually caused by a tumour in the pituitary gland

Question 14

What does prepubertal hyposecretion of growth hormone result in?

Answer 14

• underdevelopment of the skeleton
• known as pituitary dwarfism

Question 15

What are some of the features of pituitary dwarfism?

Answer 15

• reduced height with normal body proportions
• not mentally retarded but often sexually immature

Question 16

What does over-secretion of growth hormone cause in adults?

Answer 16

• acromegaly
• a condition where the bones of the face, hands and feet are enlarged
• the thickening of soft tissues leads to enlarged features and an enlarged tongue