Question

Which is the smallest gland in the human body?

A. Liver

B. Pituitary Gland

C. Thyroid Gland

D. Pineal Gland

Answer 1

Gland is an organ that makes one or more substances, such as hormones, digestive juices, sweat, tears, saliva, or milk. A gland which is responsible to maintain the 24-hour rhythm of our body. On the basis of presence or absence of duct glands are of two types that are exocrine and endocrine glands.

Complete answer:

Liver: It is the largest gland of any vertebrate and in humans, it weighs 1.5 kg and is divided into two lobes, right and left.

Pituitary Gland: It is also known as the master gland and is pink coloured with a diameter of 1 to 1.5 cm and weight around 0.5 g.

Thyroid Gland: It is situated on either side of the trachea below the larynx. It weighs around 25 to 30 g in adults.

The pineal gland is the smallest gland of our body. It is located at the dorsal side of the forebrain and originates from the ectoderm of the embryo. It looks like a pine cone and is stalked, small, rounded and reddish-brown coloured. Its weight is about 150 mg and length is about 10 mm. It is the form of two types of cells: the pineal cells and supporting gland cells.

So, the correct answer is Pineal Gland.

Note:

1. The pineal gland also plays a role in the regulation of female hormone levels.

2. Apart from balancing the rhythm of the body, Melatonin also maintains cardiovascular issues like hypertension.

3. The pineal gland can also take part in the mood swings of humans.

4. Changes in the secretion of Melatonin can lead to various sleep disorders.