Pituitary Structure/Function/Pathology

Question 1

what is the pituitary gland

Answer 1

gland attached to the hypothalamus via infundibulum

Question 2

location of the pituitary gland

Answer 2

sella turcica of the sphenoid near sensitive structures (optic nerve, internal carotid arteries, cavernous sinuses)

Question 3

parts of pituitary gland

Answer 3

anterior pituitary: adenohypophysis

posterior pituitary: neurohypophysis

Question 4

embryologic origins of pituitary gland

Answer 4

Rathke pouch –> anterior pituitary

diencephalon –> posterior pituitary

Question 5

parts of anterior pituitary

Answer 5

pars distalis, pars tuberalis, pars intermedia

Question 6

parts of posterior pituitary

Answer 6

infundibulum, pars nervosa

Question 7

histology of anterior pituitary

Answer 7

• chromophils (secretory cells with basophils and acidophils)
• chromophobes (poorly stained cytoplasm)

Question 8

histology of posterior pituitary

Answer 8

• infundibulum: nonmyelinated axons
• pars nervosa: axon terminals, pituicytes (supporting glial cells)

Question 9

identify anterior and posterior pituitary tissue

Answer 9

Question 10

identify anterior and posterior pituitary tissue

Answer 10

Question 11

types of anterior pituitary cells

Answer 11

lactotrophs, corticotrophs, thyrotrophs, gonadotrophs, somatotrophs

Question 12

hormones secreted by anterior pituitary

Answer 12

• GH (somatotroph)
• ACTH (corticotroph)
• TSH (thyrotroph)
• FSH, LH (gonadotroph)
• prolactin (lactotroph/mammotroph)

Question 13

two hormones that acidophils secrete

Answer 13

GH, prolactin

Question 14

four hormones that basophils secrete

Answer 14

FSH, LH, ACTH, TSH

Question 15

hormones secreted by posterior pituitary

Answer 15

• ADH
• oxytocin

Question 16

identify two of the three categories of anterior pituitary cells

Answer 16

Question 17

identify the three categories of anterior pituitary cells

Answer 17

Question 18

histology features of pituitary gland

Answer 18

• pink acidophils
• purple basophils
• chromophobes
• acinar architecture

Question 19

most common cause of anterior hyperpituitarism

Answer 19

adenomas

Question 20

identify tissue

Answer 20

normal pituitary

Question 21

identify tissue

Answer 21

pituitary adenoma

Question 22

identify tissue

Answer 22

normal pituitary

Question 23

identify tissue

Answer 23

pituitary adenoma

Question 24

histology features of pituitary adenoma

Answer 24

• monomorphism of cells
• absence of normal acinar architecture