Pituitary gland is also known as hypophysis cerebri. It is a small endocrine gland but it secrete many hormone which controle other endocrine gland. Therefore it is known as master of endocrine orchestra
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It is situated relation to base of brain within the sella turcica / pituitary fossa/hypophysial fossa . This sella turcica is covered by diaphragma sellae . Pituitary stalk pieces the diaphragma sellae and connected to the roof of the third ventricle .
pituitary gland superiorly related to diaphragma sellae, optic chiasma, tubercinerium,infundibular recess of the third ventricle. and it is inferiorly related to the hypophyseal fossa , sphenoidal air sinus, on each side it is related to the cavernous sinus with its content.
It is oval in shaped , 8 mm in anteroposteriorly and 12 mm in transversely and 500 mg in weight
Pituitary gland consists of adenohypophysis and neurohypophysis . Adenohypophysis and neurohypophysis are embryologically , morphologically and functionally different . adenohypophysis develop from upward extension of rathke's pouch neurohypophysis develop from downward extension of the diencephalon
Adenohypophysis consist of
1. Anterior lobe - pars anterior , pars distalis , pars glandularis
is largest part of gland
2. Intermediate lobe - Pars intermedialis
it is a thin strip ,separated from anterior lobe by an intraglandular cleft
3.tuberal lobe - pars tuberalis
upwards extension of anterior lobe
Neurohypophysis consist of
1. Posterior lobe - neural lobe, , pars posterior
It is smaller than anterior lobe
2. Infundibular stem
3. Median eminence
Pituitary gland is supplied by Superior and inferior hypophyseal artery which are branch of
internal carotid artery .Superior hypophyseal artery supplies to the anterior part of the hypothalamus , upper part of the infundibulum and lower part of the infundibulum through trabecular artery.Inferior hypophyseal artery divides into the medial and lateral branches and they joint to form an arterial ring around the posterior lobe and supplies the posterior lobe. And these arteries anastomose with superior hypophyseal artery .Anterior lobe deserve it blood supply from portal vessels arising from capillary tufts formed by the superior hypophyseal artery.Short veins arise from the surface of the the gland and drain into surrounding venous sinuses