Pituitary Gland
Pituitary Gland
The pituitary gland is one of the principal glands of the endocrine system. It releases at least nine hormones affecting a wide variety of body functions, including growth, reproduction, and levels of electrolytes and water in the body fluids. The pituitary sits near the center of the head, behind the nose and beneath the brain, just below the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is a brain structure from which the pituitary receives chemical signals that control its action. Nerve endings from the hypothalamus stimulate the posterior portion of the pituitary to secrete oxytocin and antidiuretic hormone (ADH). Capillaries from the hypothalamus carry releasing factors and inhibiting factors to the anterior portion of the pituitary, stimulating or inhibiting release of eight other hormones (see Table 1). All the hormones of the pituitary gland are peptides, small chains of amino acids .
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Hormones Released by the Pituitary Gland
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Hormone Site of Action
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Effects
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Oxytocin
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uterus
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stimulates contraction during labor
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breast
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stimulates contraction to express milk
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Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
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kidney
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stimulates retention of water
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Anterior Pituitary
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Corticotrophin (adrenocorticotrophic
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hormone, ACTH)
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adrenal cortex
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stimulates release of cortisol
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Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
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thyroid
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stimulates release of thyroxine
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Growth hormone (GH)
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bone
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stimulates growth
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Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
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female ovaries
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stimulates follicle to mature an egg, estrogen
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production
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male testes stimulates
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sperm production
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Luteinizing hormone (LH)
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female ovaries
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stimulates ovulation, progesterone production
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male testes stimulates
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testosterone production
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beta-Endorphin
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brain
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reduces pain
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Both the hypothalamus and the pituitary are involved in complex feedback loops with other glands in the body, sending and receiving hormonal signals to maintain homeostasis. Because of its central role in so many systems, pituitary abnormalities can lead to a variety of disorders. Disorders may lead to either hyposecretion or hypersecretion . Deficient growth hormone, for instance, leads to dwarfism, while excess causes gigantism.
see also Endocrine System; Growth; Homeostasis; Hormones; Hypothalamus
Richard Robinson
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Counting Calories
News Wire article from: The Hindustan Times; 7/14/2007; 700+ words
; ...approximately 2000-2500 calories a day. A 1500-calorie diet works on the simple principle that calories give us fuel for all...stored fat instead of calories for maintaining bodily...Additionally, restricted calorie diets also help in shrinking...
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Calorie-count shockers
Magazine article from: Shape; 11/1/2002; ; 700+ words
; ...it costs you 80-100 calories. The calorie king at Starbucks is...weigh in at 425-540 calories and 8 grams of saturated...Gourmet pretzels are no calorie bargain, either. At...most are about 350 calories without butter and 450...
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 "Albany Times Union (Albany, NY)")
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KEEP CALORIES IN MIND WHEN CHOOSING DRESSING.(Living Today)
Newspaper article from: Albany Times Union (Albany, NY); 4/25/1990; 700+ words
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Calories in vs calories out: how much exercise is needed?
Magazine article from: Environmental Nutrition; 4/1/1989; 700+ words
; ...who burns 3,500 calories through exercise...The reason is that calorie burning may vary...exercise to burn 3,500 calories because dieting slows...burn accumulating calories. Put another way, a high calorie diet generates a...
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Are all calories created equal? Two diets, same calories--but can one get better results? We explore new research on whether some calories make you fatter than others.(HERS NUTRITION)
Magazine article from: Muscle & Fitness/Hers; 1/1/2005; ; 700+ words
; ...definition, all calories are equal, whether...carbs. So is a calorie a calorie? Biochemically...TEF to total calories is small. In a 1,500-calorie daily diet...careful of liquid calories, which may add to your total calorie intake rather...
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 "Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland)")
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TAKE AWAY THE CALORIES; We find the healthiest options at Scotland's fast food favourites.(Features)
Newspaper article from: Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland); 1/29/2009; 700+ words
; ...exposed as containing as many as 2000 calories. That's the equivalent of an adult woman's entire daily calorie intake if she is to maintain a healthy...dense foodstuff there is, with nine calories per gram. Alcohol is second with...
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Calorie overkill: quiz.(obesity )
Newspaper article from: Nutrition Action Healthletter; 10/1/2006; ; 700+ words
; ...to steer you away from the calories that may not show up on the...you know where. (Not that calories are everything. Even some of the lower-calorie dishes are loaded with salt...sandwich has fewer than 500 calories? a. chicken salad b. tuna...
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Calories, content dull sparkling juices' luster
Newspaper article from: Chicago Sun-Times; 9/20/1990; ; 700+ words
; ...data says that the calorie count ranges from 119 calories in 10 ounces of the...product labels the calories and another doesn...buy the one with no calorie listing," he says...good news." Because calories are expected to become...
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Calorie counting.
Newspaper article from: Knight Ridder/Tribune; 1/27/2006; 700+ words
; ...contains more than twice the calories of a gram of carbs or protein...Choose foods that are low in calorie but will fill you up. This...Check out sites like www.calorie-count.com to identify where you can cut 500 calories a day from your current...
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Calories for dummies.(explaining daily calorie requirements)
Newspaper article from: Nutrition Action Healthletter; 9/1/2003; ; 700+ words
; ...000 of 2,500 calories? Most people have...much of a problem. Calorie-dense food didn...calculating the number of calories you need to maintain...be (see "Your Calorie Target"). The...menopause. The drop in calorie needs doesn't...much--only seven calories a day for every...
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calorie
Book article from: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
...the large calorie, or Calorie, is equivalent to 1,000 small calories. The average value of the calorie in the range 0°C...4.204 J; and the mean calorie equals 4.190 J. Two other calories sometimes used are the International...
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Calorie
Encyclopedia entry from: UXL Encyclopedia of Science
...gram-calorie and the Calorie the kilocalorie. The...are cal for the gram-calorie and Cal for the kilocalorie...about the number of calories contained in food or...content (expressed in calories) of various organisms...changes over time. One calorie in the metric system...
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gram-calorie
Book article from: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
gram-calorie see calorie .
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calories, empty
Book article from: A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition
calories, empty A term used to describe foods that provide energy but little, if any, of the nutrients.
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protein calories per cent
Book article from: A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition
protein calories per cent See protein‐energy ratio .
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