The pituitary gland is often thought of as the “master” endocrine gland because

Question

The pituitary gland is often thought of as the “master” endocrine gland because of its regulatory role over other endocrine glands. Make an argument in favor of designating the hypothalamus as the master endocrine gland instead of the pituitary gland. Use specific examples of endocrine pathways to show how the hypothalamus interacts with the anterior and posterior lobes of the pituitary gland in a regulatory manner. Also describe the physical structures through which the hypothalamus communicates with each lobe.

Explanation / Answer

The pituitary gland was previously thought of as the “master” endocrine gland because of its regulatory role over other endocrine glands. It does so by producing many 'tropic' hormones that act on their target organs to cause them to release a hormone. However, as per contemporary notion, the hypothalamus is the actual master endocrine gland (sometimes also called the "master switch-board"). For example, the hypothalamus produces the corticotropin releasing hormone, which acts on the anterior pituitary to produce adrenocorticotropin, which in turn acts on the adrenal cortex to produce cortisol. Such 'releasing' hormones are often involved in the communications between the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary. Contrasting to this mechanism, communication between the hypothalamus and posterior pituitary take place through neurosecretions produced by the hypothalamus which act on the posterior pituitary to produce hormones like oxytocin and vasopressin.

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