Pituitary Hormones

Question 1

What are the 6 hormones/factors released by the hypothalamus?

Answer 1

1. Gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH)
2. Growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH)
3. Somatostatin (SST)
4. Thyrotophin releasing hormone (TRH)
5. Corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH)
6. Dopamine

Question 2

What are the 6 hormones released by the anterior pituitary?

Answer 2

1. Somatotrophin (growth hormone GH)
2. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
3. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or corticotrophin
4. Follice stimulating hormone (FSH)
5. Leutinizing hormone (LH)
6. Prolactin

Question 3

What does gonadotrophin releasing hormone do?

Answer 3

Causes the releasing of leutinizing hormone and follice stimulating hormone from the anterior pituitary

Question 4

What does growth hormone releasing hormone do?

Answer 4

Causes the release of growth hormone (somatotrophin) from the anterior pituitary

Question 5

What does samotostatin do?

Answer 5

Inhibits the releasing of growth hormone (somatotrophin) from the anterior pituitary

Question 6

What does thyrotrophin releasing hormone do?

Answer 6

Causes the release of thyrotrophin or thyroid stimulating hormone from the anterior pituitary

Question 7

What does corticotrophin releasing hormone do?

Answer 7

Causes the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone or corticotrophin

Question 8

What does dopamine release do?

Answer 8

Causes the release of prolactin from the anterior pituitary

Question 9

What does growth hormone/somatotrophin cause the release of?

Answer 9

IGF-1 (insulin growth like factor 1)

Question 10

What does thyroid stimulating hormone cause the release of?

Answer 10

Thyroid hormones?

Question 11

What does corticotrophin/ACTH cause the release of?

Answer 11

Cortisol (a glucocorticoid)

Question 12

What does prolactin do?

Answer 12

Cause breast growth and milk production

Question 13

What does leutinizing hormone act on and what do they produce?

Answer 13

Leydig cells - produce testosterone

Corpus leuteum - progesterone

Question 14

What does follice stimulating hormone act on and what do they produce?

Answer 14

Sertoli cells and corpus leuteum - inhibin

Granulosa cells - progesterone

Question 15

Describe the sequence of events when the hypothalamus senses stress

Answer 15

The hypothalamus releases corticotrophin releasing hormone which acts on the anterior pituitary to release adrenocorticotrophic hormone which acts on the adrenal cortex to produce cortisol which then goes on to produce glucose for the brain during stress

Question 16

Describe the sequence of events when the hypothalamus senses low plasma sodium?

Answer 16

The hypothalamus releases CRH which acts on the anterior pituitary to release ACTH which acts on the adrenal cortex to release aldosterone

Question 17

What are two posterior pituitary hormones that are often regarded as hypothalamic hormones?

Answer 17

1. Anti-diuretic hormone (vasopressin)

2. Oxytocin

Question 18

What does vasopression do?

Answer 18

Increase arterial blood pressure by causing the kidneys to retain sodium and therefore water, increasing the blood volume (anti-diuretic = retains water) - urine is hypertonic

Question 19

What does oxytocin do?

Answer 19

Causes contraction of smooth muscle cells to increase milk flow