Pituitary gland secretes hormones. All releasing hormones (-RH) referred to, can also be referred to as releasing factors (-RF). Somatotropes: Corticotropes: Thyrotropes: Gonadotropes: Lactotropes: These hormones are released from the anterior pituitary under the influence of the hypothalamus. Hypothalamic hormones are secreted to the anterior lobe by way of a special capillary system, called the hypothalamic-hypophysial portal system. There is also a non-endocrine cell population called folliculostellate cells. The intermediate lobe synthesizes and secretes the following important endocrine hormone: The posterior pituitary stores and secretes (but does not synthesize) the following important endocrine hormones: Magnocellular neurons: Hormones secreted from the pituitary gland
Releasing and inhibiting hormones response to low levels of secretion of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) from the pituitary gland. The TSH in turn is under feedback control by the thyroid hormones T4 and T3. When the level of TSH is too high, they feed back on the brain to shut down the secretion of TRH. Synthetic TRH is also used by physicians as a test of TSH reserve in the pituitary gland as it should stimulate the release of TSH and prolactin from this gland. The main releasing hormones are as follows: The main release-inhibiting hormones or inhibiting hormones are as follows: There are various