pituitary (hypophysis)

Introduction

The pituitary gland or hypophysis is an unpaired, compound gland suspended from the base of the hypothalamus by a short extension of the infundibulum (the pituitary stalk).

It consistsof 2 major subdivisions:

• the posterior pituitary or neurohypophysis
• the anterior pituitary of adenohypophysis

Laboratory

• pituitary Ab in serum

More general terms

• brain structure

Additional terms

• hypophysitis
• hypopituitarism
• pituitary apoplexy
• pituitary hormone
• pituitary neoplasm

Components

• posterior pituitary (neurohypophysis)
• anterior pituitary (adenohypophysis)