|
|
|||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The pituitary gland is considered the master gland for the regulation of endocrine function. It serves to integrate signals from the brain, transduced into endocrine signals by the hypothalamus, and from hormones and metabolites from the periphery, which enter the pituitary through the bloodstream. The pituitary not only integrates but also amplifies the signals it receives, and any dysfunction of the pituitary gland can have profound effects on adrenal, reproductive, thyroid, and metabolic functions, as well as on development and growth.
Over the past 25 years, there have been major advances in research on the pituitary, including the isolation and
HOME | SUBSCRIBE | SEARCH | CURRENT ISSUE | PAST ISSUES | COLLECTIONS | PRIVACY | TERMS OF USE | HELP | beta.nejm.org Comments and questions? Please contact us. The New England Journal of Medicine is owned, published, and copyrighted © 2009 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved. |