Video Transcript
Fill in the blank. In the human brain, the pituitary
gland is divided into blank. (A) Three hemispheres, (B) four
flaps, (C) two main lobes, or (D) two cavities.
This question asks us about the
pituitary gland within the human brain. Let’s review the structure and
function of the pituitary gland in order to answer the question correctly.
The pituitary gland is often
referred to as the master gland within the body. This is because it has numerous
effects on nearly every organ or tissue and because it controls other endocrine
glands in the body. Through the secretion of its many
hormones, the pituitary gland influences various processes: our metabolism, growth,
reproduction, the regulation of our blood pressure, or even our emotions.
Anatomically, the pituitary gland
is located at the base of the brain. It’s a small gland, only the size
of a pea. The pituitary gland is surrounded
by a very rich network of capillaries, into which its hormones will be released in
order to be delivered in the entire body.
As you can see on the diagram here,
the pituitary gland itself is divided into two lobes: the anterior and posterior
pituitary. The two lobes are quite different
in the hormones that they secrete. The posterior lobe is more like a
storage place for the hormones produced in the hypothalamus, the brain structure
that is located just above the pituitary gland. The anterior lobe, on the other
hand, both produces and releases hormones.
As our question asks about the
structure of the pituitary gland, we are now able to identify the word that should
fill in the blank in the statement, and therefore the correct answer to this
question. In the human brain, the pituitary
gland is divided into (C) two main lobes.
