Pituitary Gland: Introduction

00:01 I’m going to explain the structure of the pituitary gland, the histological structure.

00:07 The pituitary gland is a major gland in the endocrine system. It’s often referred to as being the master gland. And what I’d like you to understand at the end of this lecture is firstly, what a hormone is or a chemical messenger is. And also understand that the pituitary gland is really two different glands because it’s derived from very different embryological sources. It’s important also to understand that the pituitary is connected to the hypothalamus, both by a very special portal blood system and also by having neurons extending from the hypothalamus into the pituitary. And these neurons are forming a very important part of the pituitary gland or at least one part of the pituitary gland. And then finally, within the pituitary, there are a number of different cell types. It’s important that you understand different cell types that are there, and what their secretory products are. At the end of all studies of endocrine systems, then there are endocrine glands that consist of endocrine glands, endocrine cells that have a variety of different functions. They are derived from a variety of different places in the body during embryological development. They secrete their products into the blood stream, and they have hormones that regulate the activities of many organs of the body. They also function along with the nervous system, but their effects are often slow and more prolonged. And their vital function is to maintain homeostasis and control a number of other functions within the body, general function such as growth, development, and also reproduction.