Pituitary Gland Anatomy Flashcards
What are the main endocrine glands in the cranial cavity?
Hypothalamus
Pituitary Gland
What are the main endocrine glands in the neck?
Thyroid Gland
Four parathyroid glands
What are the main endocrine glands in the retroperitoneal abdomen?
Pancreas
Two adrenal glands
What are the main endocrine glands in the female pelvis?
Two ovaries in ligaments
What are the main endocrine glands in the perineum of males?
Two testes in the scrotum
What is the dicephalon?
This forms the central core of the cerebrum with connections to the right and left cerebral hemispheres and midbrain
What is found within the dicephalon?
Thalamus and Hypothalamus
What connects the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland?
Infundibulum (pituitary stalk)
What are the two lobes of the pituitary gland?
Anterior and posterior lobes
What is the function of the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland?
Responsible for synthesis and release of most pituitary hormones (GH, TSH, ACTH, FSH, LH, PRL)
What is the function of the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland?
Releases ADH and oxytocin (synthesised in the hypothalamus
What is the location of the pituitary gland?
Pituitary gland is a midline structure in pituitary fossa of sphenoid bone
Pituitary fossa lies in sella turcica
Immediately inferior to the optic chiasma
What forms the optic chiasma?
The optic chiasm is an X-shaped structure formed by the crossing of the optic nerves in the brain.
What are the three parts of the anterior pituitary?
Pars distalis
Pars intermedia
Pars tuberalis
What is the function of the pars distalis?
It is a part of the anterior pituitary. This is the largest part and is responsible for hormone secretion.
What is the function of the pars intermedia?
This is a part of the pituitary gland. It is a thin epithelial layer that separates the pars anterior from the posterior lobe. It is usually very small or absent in adults. It produces MSH.
What is the function of the pars tuberalis?
This is a part of the pituitary gland. An upwards extension of the anterior pituitary that surrounds the anterolateral aspect of the infundibulum. It is a scaffold for the capillary network of the hypophyseal portal system.
What is the artery that supplies the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland?
Superior hypophyseal artery
What arteries supply the posterior pituitary?
Superior hypophyseal artery
Inferior hypophyseal artery
Interfundibular artery
What vein drains the pituitary gland?
Anterior and posterior hypophyseal veins
What are the paranasal sinuses?
Airfilled spaces within the bones surrounding the nasal cavitities
What are the ethmoid air cells?
Three groups of sinuses located between the nasal cavity and orbit
What are the functions of the paranasal sinuses?
Secrete mucus
Reduce the weight of the skull
Add resonance to the voice
Where is the dural matter?
Adherent to internal aspects of all bones of cranial vault
What is the diaphragma sellae?
A tough sheet of dura mater forming a roof over the pituitary fossa
What is the tentorium cerebelli?
tough sheet of dura mater “tenting” over cerebellum with central gap to permit brainstem to pass through)
What are the dural venous sinuses?
Venous channels within dura mater that drain most of venous blood from cranial cavity (including brain) into internal jugular veins
Where do the dural venous sinuses drain into?
internal jugular veins at jugular foraminae in floor of posterior cranial fossa
What is the cavernous sinus?
One of the dural venous sinuses of the head.
