Hypothalamus & Pituitary Gland
Hypothalamus & Pituitary Gland
Hypothalamus & Pituitary Gland
GLAND
Dr. Shamama Firdaus
Assistant Professor
DMAMCH&RC
HYPOTHALAMUS
• Hypothalamus has 3 basic functions:
1. Concern with limbic system
2. Concern with endocrine system
3. Concern with endocrine system
• Location :hypothalamus extend from optic
chiasma upto the upper part of the midbrain.
• Hypothalamus is mainly a sheath of grey.
• Weight : 4 gm
• As we know, pituitary gland is a master endocrine
gland. Pituitary gland itself has a master i.e.
Hypothalamus
• Hypothalamus cell synthesized at least 9 different
hormone.
• The hypothalamus produces releasing (liberins) &
inhibiting (statins) hormones, which start & stop
the production of other hormones.
• The main releasing hormones are as follows:
1. TRH (Thyrotropin releasing hormone)
2. CRH (Corticotropin releasing hormone)
3. GnRH (Gonadotropin releasing hormone)
4. GHRH ( Growth hormone releasing hormone)
5. PRH (Prolactin releasing hormone)
• On fat metabolism
GH mobilizes fats from adipose tissue.
• On carbohydrate metabolism
Major action of GH on carbohydrate is the
conservation of glucose.
Effects of GH on carbohydrate metabolism:
i. Decrease in the peripheral utilization of
glucose for the production of energy.
ii. Increase in the deposition of glycogen in the
cell.
iii. Decrease in the uptake of glucose by the cell.
2. On bones
• In embryonic stage, GH is responsible for the
differentiation & development of bone cells.
• In later stages, GH increases the growth of the
skeleton. It increases length as well as
thickness of the bones. but after the
epiphyseal fusion, length of the bone cannot
be increased, however the bone continues to
grow in thickness throughout the life.
• In bones, GH increases:
i. synthesis & deposition of proteins by
chondrocytes & osteogenic cells.
ii. Multiplication of chondrocytes & osteogenic
cells by enhancing the intestinal calcium
absorption.
iii. Formation of new bones by converting
chondrocytes into osteogenic cells
Regulation of GH secretion
• Growth hormone secretion is altered by various
factors.
• However, hypothalamus & feedback mechanism
play an important role in the regulation of GH
secretion.
Factor stimulating GH secretion is:
1. Hypoglycemia
2. Fasting
3. Starvation
4. Exercise
5. Stress & trauma
ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC HORMONE
• ACTH is necessary for the structural integrity
& the secretory activity of adrenal cortex.
FOLLICLE STIMULATING HORMONE
• Actions of FSH
In females
1. FSH causes the development of Graafian
Follicle from primordial follicle.
2. It stimulates the theca cells of Graafian
Follicle & causes secretion of estrogen.
3. FSH promotes the aromatase activity in
granulosa cells, resulting in conversion of
androgen into estrogen.
In males
• FSH acts along with testosterone & accelerates
the process of spermiogenesis.
LUTEINIZING HORMONE
In females
1. LH causes maturation of vesicular follicle into
Graafian follicle along with follicle stimulating
hormone.
2. It induces synthesis of androgen from theca
cells of growing follicle.
3. It is responsible for ovulation.
4. LH is necessary for the formation of corpus
luteum.
5. LH activates the secretory function of corpus
luteum.
In males
• LH is known as interstitial cell-stimulating
hormone (ICSH) because it stimulate the
interstitial cells of leydig cells in testes to
secrete testosterone.
PROLACTIN HORMONE
• Prolactin is necessary for the final preparation
of mammary glands for the production and
secretion of milk.
• Prolactin acts directly on the epithelial cells of
mammary gland and causes localized alveolar
hyperplasia.
POSTERIOR LOBE
• It is also called Neurohypophysis.
• It does not synthesize hormone, it does store
& release two hormon.
• Actually it is an extension of hypothalamus.
• It consist of axon & axon terminals of more
than 10,000 hypothalamic neurosecretory cell.
• The cell bodies of neurosecretory cell are in
the hyothalamus.
• The neuronal cell bodies produce the
antidiuretic & oxytocin hormone.
• After production in the cell bodies, oxytocin &
ADH hormone are packaged into secretory
vesicles, which move by fast axonal transport
to the axon terminals in the posterior
pituitary, where they are stored until nerve
impulses are trigger exocytosis & release of
the hormone.
ANTIDIURETIC HORMONE
Action of ADH
• Antidiuretic hormone has two function
1. Retention of water
• Major function of ADH is retention of water by
acting on kidneys.
• It increases the facultative reabsorption of
water from DCT and CT in the kidneys.
2. Vasopressor action
• In large amount ADH shows vasoconstrictor
action.