Question

The endocrine system consists of several different glands. These include the pituitary, pineal, thyroid, and adrenal glands, along with the pancrease and the gonads (ovaries for women, and testes for men). Please answer the question: which of these glands do you believe is most important? Explain why and defend your answer. Your response should be a minimum of 100 words, with in-text citations and references.

Answer 1

Pituitary gland

Pituitary gland is a small structure in the head. It is regarded as the master gland as it biosynthesizes hormones which regulate the activity of other glands and various body functions including growth (1). It is located beneath the base of the brain, behind the nose bridge. It is very small (pea sized).   The pituitary comprises of the anterior and posterior pituitary. The anterior part of pituitary produces hormones that influences the breasts, adrenals, thyroid, ovaries and testes (2,3). The main glands affected by the posterior pituitary are the kidneys (4). The pituitary gland is very essential gland of the body as it conveys the messages from the brain (via hypothalamus) and produces hormones which influences many parts of the body. including stimulating all the other hormone-producing glands to produce their own hormones (5).

References

1. Harris GW. Neural control of the pituitary gland. Physiol Rev. 1948;28(2):139–79.

2. Li CH. Hormones of the anterior pituitary gland. Part I. Growth and adrenocorticotropic hormones. In: Advances in protein chemistry. Elsevier; 1956. p. 101–90.

3. Inoue K, Couch EF, Takano K, Ogawa S. The structure and function of folliculo-stellate cells in the anterior pituitary gland. Arch Histol Cytol. 1999;62(3):205–18.

4. Schonemann MD, Ryan AK, McEvilly RJ, O’Connell SM, Arias CA, Kalla KA, et al. Development and survival of the endocrine hypothalamus and posterior pituitary gland requires the neuronal POU domain factor Brn-2. Genes Dev. 1995;9(24):3122–35.

5. Holmes RL. The pituitary gland. Vol. 4. Univ of California Press; 1974.