Question

Explain the origin and location of pituitary gland.

Answer 1

There are two lobes in the pituitary gland, the anterior lobe, and the posterior lobe. Thus, it is an organ of dual origin. It is also known as the master gland as it controls the function of many other glands

Complete answer:
Location- The size of the pituitary gland is equal to the size of the pea. It is situated just behind the bridge of the nose, in a bony hollow at the base of the skull. The pituitary gland is attached to the hypothalamus and it controls the activity of the pituitary gland. The anterior lobe or the anterior pituitary gland is having short blood vessels that connect it to the brain. The posterior pituitary gland secretes hormones directly to the bloodstream and is a part of the brain. The posterior pituitary gland acts on the command of the brain. Origin- There are three lobes in the pituitary gland. They are the anterior lobe, intermediate lobe, and the posterior lobe. The intermediate lobe has embryological origin in the human body but is poorly developed. Thus, the gland can be divided into two lobes: the anterior lobe and the posterior lobe in the human body. The anterior part evolves from the upgrowth of the oral ectoderm of the primitive oral cavity. The primitive oral cavity is called Rathke’s pouch. Some nervous tissues of the embryo develop into the posterior part of the pituitary gland. It originates from the down growth of the diencephalon that turns into the floor of the third ventricle.

Note: The other name for the pituitary gland is hypophysis. The structure of the pituitary gland differs entirely from the embryonic origin. The pituitary gland exists in all vertebrates.