ANTERIOR PITUITARY GLAND: A MIDGET GLAND WITH A GIGANTIC ROLE

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ANTERIOR PITUITARY GLAND: 
A MIDGET GLAND WITH A GIGANTIC ROLE

     Globe, Smart, Touch Mobile, Sun Cellular, and Talk N’ Text are companies that provide services to make communication like messaging with other people possible. But did you know that there are also messengers in our body? These are called HORMONES! They are the chemical messengers in our body. There are lots of hormones working inside our system to cope with the body’s needs and they are produced by specific GLAND. ENDOCRINE GLANDS are like cellphones because they send messages!  REMEMBER! ENDOCRINE GLANDS SEND OFF HORMONES TO a TARGET TISSUE TO PRODUCE THE DESIRED EFFECT….some glands sends off hormones to stimulate other Endocrine glands to produce the necessary hormone to produce the desired effect. As we go on I’ll discuss some hormones and their target tissue!and for us to appreciate these processes happening inside our body.

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In this blog I’ll be telling you something about the ANTERIOR PITUITARY GLAND but first, let me tell something about the whole gland itself. The Pituitary gland or “hypophysis” is from a Greek word meaning “lying under” because it is located under the brain. It was called the “master” endocrine gland because it secretes several hormones that control other endocrine glands (Tortora and Derrickson, 2009. you see folks, even inside our body, there is a master! as we all know, a system will not work without a leader! For those of you who don’t have any idea how big is the pituitary gland…. Let me tell you that it is just as big as a PEA (bean). According to Gerard J. Tortora and Bryan H. Derrickson it measures 1-1.5 cm (0.5 in.) in diameter. It proves the saying….”SMALL BUT TERRIBLE” because it can cause big problems in your body if it is dysfunctional. You'll appreciate the importance of this gland when we go to the specific hormones it produce. This small but terrible gland is divided into two anatomical and functional portions: the ANTERIOR PITUITARY AND THE POSTERIOR PITUITARY. 

              

   Now that you already have learned something about the Pituitary gland, let’s go deeper! Let’s focus on the BIGGEST portion of it…the ANTERIOR PITUITARY GLAND or ADENOHYPOPHYSIS, it accounts for about 75% of the total weight of the gland. It consists of two parts: the Pars distalis which is the larger part and Pars tuberalis, the upper part. It is connected to the HYPOTHALAMUS by the INFUNDIBULUM This gland is responsible for the regulation of many internal and external processes in our body… like our BUILT! the reason of being ROMANTIC...to the reason why this world continues to be occupied (REPRODUCTION).

 NOW! LET'S RUN DOWN THE HORMONES PRODUCED BY THE ANTERIOR PITUITARY GLAND! LET US TRY TO APPRECIATE THESE HORMONES...    

      The Anterior Pituitary Gland is composed of different types of cells which are responsible for the SECRETION of hormones… the anterior pituitary in itself secretes SEVEN HORMONES! 

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SOMATOTHROPS are the ones that secrete HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE which in turn will stimulate several tissues like liver, muscle, bone, and cartilage to produce and secrete INSULINLIKE GROWTH FACTORS; this then is the one responsible for your height!your built! if you are a little short...this hormone is one factor. And also, it promotes healing of injuries and many more! just try to imagine if you are injured and your body is not responding to it... i guess you'll be dead by now... but thanks to the HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE it sends off messages for you to recover!

You know folks that ANYTHING IN EXCESS IS NOT GOOD as well as LESS! The reason why I told you this is because HORMONES are also like that…. Over production and secretion of HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE (hGH) may lead to GIGANTISM! And less production and secretion of hGH may lead to DWARFISM!

THYROTROPHS are the ones that secrete THYROID – STIMULATING HORMONE which in turn controls the secretion and other activities of the thyroid gland. Let me tell you one importance of Thyroid hormones… this hormone together with Growth Hormone and insulin improves nervous and skeletal system growth… if a baby lacks this hormone, it may lead the baby to mental retardation and inhibited bone growth... and i know you don't want that to happen... so you better get your baby checked! 

GONADOTROPHS secrete two hormones… the FOLLICLE STIMULATING HORMONE and LUTEINIZING HORMONE. These hormones are responsible for stimulating the secretion of ESTROGEN AND PROGESTERONE and EGG CELLS in female.  Also, they STIMULATE the production of SPERM CELLS and secretion of TESTOSTERONE in males. In short, this hormone is the one responsible for your hidden desires...and the REASON FOR THE UNENDING REIGN OF MANKIND! 

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LACTOTHROPS secrete PROLACTIN (PRL) which in turn initiates milk production in the mammary glands... that’s why pregnant woman lactates…say thank you to this hormone… this gave us food when we were still babies!

CORTICOTHROPS secrete ADENOCORTICOTROPIC HORMONE (ACTH) which in turn stimulates the adrenal cortex to secrete GLUCOCORTICOIDS such as CORTISOL. Though the name of the hormone is stressful in itself… IT IS THE ONE THAT RESPONDS TO STRESS! I guess as a medical technology student, this HORMONE IS PRETTY MUCH OVERUSED…. Corticothrops also secretes MELANOCYTE-STIMULATING HORMONE… the exact role of this hormone in our body is still unknown according to Tortora and Derrickson… though, if this is in EXCESS, it can cause darkening of the skin.

    THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS HAPPENING INSIDE YOUR BODY… CHEMICAL MESSAGES, STIMULATION, SECRETION... AND IT IS BECAUSE OF ONE REASON… HOMEOSTASIS! always remember that word... it means - To maintain the stability of your body!  TO BALANCE YOUR SYSTEM! TRULY! GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME! Take good care!

THAT’S ALL FOLKS!                                                                                

-Paulo O. Magistrado

BSMT 3-B   

www.emc.maricopa.

To all my beloved readers! All of the Information above is from Gerard J. Tortora and Bryan H. Derrickson’s “Principle of Anatomy and Physiology” and Donald F. Calbreath’s “Clinical Chemistry: A Fundamental Textbook”.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!