What Hormones Does The Pituitary Gland Produce: A Table Of Names And Functions

2024 Author: Rachel Wainwright | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-15 19:51

Pituitary hormones and their functions in the body

The content of the article:

Pituitary gland: what is it
Functions of pituitary hormones
1. ACTH
2. TSH
3. Prolactin
4. FSH
5. LH
6. STG
7. Intermediate lobe hormones
8. Vasopressin
9. Oxytocin
Impaired hormone secretion
Video

The pituitary gland is the central organ of the endocrine system. Pituitary hormones have a stimulating effect on a number of organs - the adrenal glands, thyroid gland, uterus, ovaries and testes, mammary glands. In addition, they stimulate the growth and development of the body. The defeat of the pituitary gland can lead to a wide variety of disorders, ranging from dwarfism and gigantism, ending with diabetes insipidus.

Pituitary hormones play an important role in the body

Pituitary gland: what is it

The pituitary gland (pituitary gland) is an endocrine organ that is part of the brain. It is directly related to the hypothalamus and is subject to its influence.

Three parts are distinguished in the pituitary gland:

adenohypophysis (anterior lobe);
average (intermediate) share;
neurohypophysis (posterior lobe).

The pituitary hormones are called tropic hormones because they stimulate other endocrine organs.

Table. What hormones does the pituitary gland produce?

Hormones of the adenohypophysis (anterior lobe)

Adrenocorticotropic (ACTH)

Thyroid-stimulating (TSH)

Prolactin

Follicle-stimulating (FSH)

Luteinizing (LH)

Growth hormone (STH)

Average share

Melanocyte-stimulating

Lipotropin

Neurohypophysis (posterior lobe)

In the neurohypophysis, hormones are not produced, but only vasopressin and oxytocin are activated and accumulate. The site of synthesis of oxytocin and vasopressin is the hypothalamus

Functions of pituitary hormones

ACTH

Adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulates the adrenal cortex. Under its influence, the secretion of glucocorticoids is triggered - cortisol, corticosterone, cortisone. Glucocorticoids have several important functions:

reduction of inflammation;
suppression of allergic reactions;
influence on carbohydrate, protein, fat, water and electrolyte metabolism;
anti-shock action.

The production of glucocorticoids is regulated by ACTH according to the principle of negative feedback - an increased level of glucocorticoids suppresses the work of ACTH, a lower one, on the contrary, stimulates.

Also, ACTH stimulates the production of sex hormones by the adrenal cortex - the level of progesterone, androgens, estrogens increases. To a lesser extent, ACTH affects the production of mineralocorticoids (aldosterone).

TSH

The production of thyroid-stimulating hormone is regulated by several factors:

the influence of the releasing factors of the hypothalamus;
negative feedback;
circadian rhythm - the highest concentration of TSH is observed at night.

Thyrotropin stimulates the thyroid gland and thyroxine synthesis. Also, under the influence of TSH, protein synthesis, iodine consumption is activated, and the size of thyroid cells increases.

Prolactin

The main organ that prolactin acts on is the mammary glands. It stimulates their growth and development. Also, prolactin is necessary for lactation - it causes the formation of milk after pregnancy.

Prolactin affects not only lactogenesis, it is additionally responsible for inhibiting the ovulation cycle. This is achieved by suppressing FSH secretion.

FSH

The production of FSH is regulated by the hypothalamus. The main organs on which it acts are the ovaries in women and the testes in men.

In women, FSH accelerates follicular development and estrogen production.

In men, it affects the cells of the testicles - it stimulates spermatogenesis.

In women, FSH levels depend on the phase of the menstrual cycle.

LH

LH in the human body is essential for reproduction. In a woman's body, under the influence of LH, the residual follicle is converted into a yellow body. Subsequently, the corpus luteum begins to produce progesterone - the main hormone of pregnancy. In men, LH affects the cells in the testes that produce testosterone.

STG

Growth hormone is a growth hormone in children and adolescents. It has the following effects on the body:

activates growth in length (growth of long bones);
enhances synthesis and inhibits protein breakdown;
increases the content of muscle tissue;
reduces the content of adipose tissue.
affects carbohydrate metabolism - is an insulin antagonist.

Intermediate lobe hormones

Melanocyte-stimulating hormone is responsible for the production of pigments in the skin, hair, and retina.

Lipotropin stimulates lipolysis (breakdown of fats) and activates the mobilization of fatty acids. The main function of lipotropin is to form endorphins.

Vasopressin

Vasopressin is produced in the hypothalamus and accumulates in the neurohypophysis. The main effect of vasopressin is on water metabolism. It helps to retain water in the body. This is achieved by increasing the permeability of the collecting tube. This leads to an increase in the reverse absorption of water, a decrease in daily urine output, an increase in the volume of circulating blood.

In addition, vasopressin also affects the cardiovascular system. It increases vascular tone, which leads to an increase in blood pressure.

Oxytocin

The main effect of oxytocin is on the uterus - it stimulates the contraction of the myometrium. This is especially important for stimulating the birth process.

Oxytocin also affects sexual behavior and builds feelings of attachment and trust.

Impaired hormone secretion

Hormone name	Level up	Decrease in level
ACTH	It can be observed with various pathologies: Itsenko-Cushing's disease is a disease in which a primary increase in ACTH levels leads to a deficiency of glucocorticoids. Addison's disease - an increase in ACTH occurs a second time due to insufficiency of the adrenal cortex. Ectopic tumors that produce ACTH.	Cushing's Syndrome - ACTH deficiency occurs in response to increased glucocorticoid production.
TSH	When the TSH level rises, it is important to test the thyroxine level. An increase in TSH and a decrease in T4 indicates primary hypothyroidism.	A decrease can indicate both an increase or a decrease in thyroid function. Decreases in TSH and thyroxine indicate central hypothyroidism. A decrease in TSH against the background of an increase in thyroxine levels indicates hyperthyroidism. The change in thyroxine concentration is associated with a negative feedback system.
Prolactin	The increase is called hyperprolactinemia. Physiological prolactinemia most often develops during breastfeeding, pathological can develop under the following conditions: pituitary tumor (prolactinoma), hypothalamic diseases, liver cirrhosis, ectopic secretion of prolactin. Hyperprolactinemia can cause menstrual irregularities in women.	Sheehan's syndrome, post-term pregnancy, taking antipsychotics.
FSH and LH	Indicates a violation in the system of negative feedback between the pituitary gland and the ovaries (testicles).	Leads to a decrease in the level of female or male sex hormones. In women, the result is amenorrhea, in men - a decrease in sperm count.
Somatotropin	An excess of growth hormone in childhood leads to gigantism. In adults, an excess of growth hormone leads to acromegaly - an increase in certain parts of the body.	Lack of growth hormone in childhood leads to dwarfism - growth retardation, as well as delayed sexual development.
Vasopressin	With a decrease in the secretion of vasopressin, Parkhon's syndrome develops - a rare pathology that is accompanied by fluid retention in the body, a decrease in urine output and a lack of sodium in the blood.	An excess of vasopressin leads to the development of diabetes insipidus. The disease is manifested by increased urine output (more than 10 liters per day), increased thirst, despite drinking a lot of water.
Oxytocin	An increase in the level of oxytocin in the blood leads to hypertonicity of the uterus.	Oxytocin deficiency leads to weakness in labor.