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Pituitary Gland - Anatomy & Physiology (view source)
Revision as of 11:08, 2 January 2011
, 11:08, 2 January 2011→Anatomy
[[Image:PituitaryGlandlowpower.jpg|right|thumb|450px|'''Low Power Section of Pituitary Gland. ©RVC 2008]]
[[Image:PituitaryGlandlowpower.jpg|right|thumb|450px|'''Low Power Section of Pituitary Gland. ©RVC 2008]]
The pituitary gland, or ''hypophysis'' is an elongated appendage of the brain lying within a bony cavity of the [[Skull and Facial Muscles - Anatomy & Physiology#Sphenoid Bone (os sphenoidale)|Sphenoid Bone]] in the base of the skull - the '''Sella Turcica'''. The hypophysis is suspended from the hypothalamus by a thin stalk. It lies between the more rostral '''Optic Chiasma''', and the more caudal '''Mammillary Bodies'''.
The pituitary gland, or ''hypophysis'' is an elongated appendage of the brain lying within a bony cavity of the [[Skull and Facial Muscles - Anatomy & Physiology#Sphenoid Bone (os sphenoidale)|sphenoid bone]] in the base of the skull - the '''Sella Turcica'''. The hypophysis is suspended from the hypothalamus by a thin stalk. It lies between the more rostral '''optic chiasma''', and the more caudal '''mammillary bodies'''.
The gland is divided into '''anterior and posterior''' parts, with different embryological origins reflecting a difference in function:
1.'''Posterior pituitary''': (Neurohypophysis), consisting of the '''Pars Nervosa,''' this section is derived from a downgrowth of neural tissue from the [[Hypothalamus - Anatomy & Physiology|hypothalamus]].
2.'''Anterior pituitary''': (Adenohypophysis), consisting of the '''Pars Tuberalis and Pars Distalis''' this part has an embryological origin as an epithelial upgrowth from the foetal oral cavity called ''Rathke's Pouch''.
3.'''Pars Intermedia''': This part separates the anterior and posterior lobes.
==Blood Supply==
==Blood Supply==