Development and Microscopic Anatomy of the Pituitary Gland

Review
In: Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000.
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Excerpt

The pituitary gland is an organ of dual origin. The anterior part (adenohypophysis) arises from embryonic buccal mucosa, whereas the posterior part (neurohypophysis) derives from neural ectoderm. Precise spatial and temporal co-ordination of transcription factor expression in both structures is critical for pituitary gland formation and the differentiation of hormone-producing cells. Disruption of this regulation, for instance by transcription factor mutation, can lead to numerous developmental disorders and disturbances in endocrine function and regulation. We provide an overview of the molecular drivers of pituitary organogenesis and illustrate the anatomy and histology of the mature pituitary gland, comprising adenohypophysis (anterior lobe), neurohypophysis (posterior lobe), pars intermedia (intermediate lobe), and infundibulum (pituitary stalk). For complete coverage of all related areas of Endocrinology, please visit our on-line FREE web-text, WWW.ENDOTEXT.ORG.

Publication types

  • Review