Question

Please write a long paragraph in essay format and upload the document. Please make sure it has a lot of detail and explanation thank you very much!

1. (20 points) The pituitary gland is often thought of as the master endocrine gland because of its regulatory role over other endocrine glands. Make an argument in favor of designating the hypothalamus as the master endocrine gland instead of the pituitary gland. Use specific examples of endocrine pathways to show how the hypothalamus interacts with the anterior and posterior lobes of the pituitary gland in a regulatory manner. Also describe the physical structures through which the hypothalamus communicates with each lobe.

Answer 1

1. Hypothalamus is an important part of brain located just below the pituitary gland, above the thalamus forming ventral part of diencephalon.
2. It contains many nuclei and performs different functions of production and secretion of hormones.
3. Hypothalamus also controls the master gland of endocrine system, the pituitary gland and thus plays a key role in connecting endocrine system with the nervous system through pituitary gland (hypophysis).
4. The major function is maintaining Homeostatsis by regulating the body temperature and also plays an important role in the release of hormones.
5. Also responsible for motivational behaviours and causes hunger, thirst etc., It synthesize and secretes neurohormones, which inturn regulate the secretion of pituitary hormones.
6. Hypothalamus sretes both releasing hormones and inhibiting hormones, thereby stimulate or inhibit the hormone production in the anterior pituitary.
7. Different types of hormones have been secreted by different types of neurons.
8. Some of them are Somatotropin/ Growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH), Somatostatin/ Growth hormone Inhibitory hormone (GHIH), Thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH), Dopamine, Gonadotropin releasing hormones, Corticotropin releasing hormone.
9. It sends hormones like ADH (AntiDiuretic hormone)/vasopressin and oxytocin to posterior pituitary gland for secretion.
10. Other hormones likeTRH, GHRH,GnRH etc., which are having either stimulator/ inhibitory effect will be sent to the anterior pituitary for secretion.
11. Hypothalamus regulates the function of pituitary gland by connecting to anterior lobe (adenohypophysis) of pituitary via blood portal system.
12. It also regulates the function of pituitary gland by connecting to posterior lobe (neurohypophysis) of pituitary via a neuronal connection.
13. Hypothalamus and pituitary gland, both are primary endocrine organs which produce and secretes hormones.
14. The communication between hypothalamus and pituitary gland occurs through chemical signals by stimulatory and inhibi tory hormones.
15. The chemical signals produced by neurosecretory cells of hypothalamus will be released into a capillary network known as primary plexus.
16. These primary plexus get transported through hypophyseal portal veins to a secondary capillary network called secondary plexus.
17. The primary plexus along with the hypophyseal portal veins belongs to the infundibulum.
18. The secondary plexus  wll be belongs to the anterior pituitary.
19. Neurosecretory cells produce hormones, which will be stored in vescicles and transported to the axons, the axon terminals of posterior pituitary.
20. On stimulation of neurosecretory cells , the stored hormones in the vescicles will get released to the capillary netwaork of posterior pituitary.