What is the Pituitary Gland?

The pituitary gland is known as the "master gland". It is located at the base of the brain between the optic nerves. The pituitary gland produces chemicals that travel through the bloodstream, also known as hormones. The hormone functions that the pituitary gland is in charge of include thyroid activity, temperature, testosterone production in men, ovulation and estrogen in women, growth during childhood, and urine production. In additon to controlling these functions the pituitary gland also acts as our bodies "thermostat". Meaning that it regulates all other glands that are responsible for responsible for hormone secretion inlcuding the adrenal glands.

The pituitary gland functions as two seperate compartments; the anterior portion and the posterior gland. The anterior gland actually is made of separate collection of individual cells that act as functional units that produce a specific regulatory hormone messenger or factor. These factors are secreted in response to the outside environment and the internal bodily responses to this environment. These pituitary factors then travel through a rich blood work network into the blood stream and eventually reach their specific target gland. They then stimulate the target gland to produce the appropriate type and amount of hormone so the body can respond to the environment correctly. An example of this would be is when a person see a dangerous animal such as a bear. The pituitary gland receives input from the hypothalamus which is the master control system within the deep recesses of the brain. This message involves catecholomines that are generated in response to the frightening stimulus. The hypothalamus then stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete important factors, for example cortisol, that make their way into the blood stream and eventually to the adrenal glands. This gland finally secretes catecholomines that generate flight response to the fright.

*** The pituitary gland is a very busy gland, it would be almost impossible for me to write out everything that it does, or that it helps control. I hope that this at least helps give an idea of how important the pituitary gland is to a person body***