Video Transcript
Fill in the blank. Blank is called the master gland because it regulates the activities of most other
endocrine glands in the human body. (A) The growth hormone, (B) the pituitary gland, (C) the heart, (D) the brain.
To answer this question, let’s review key facts about the endocrine system to
identify the gland that is also known as the master gland. The endocrine system is a series of glands that produce and secrete hormones that the
body uses for a wide range of functions. It works very closely with the nervous system to maintain homeostasis in the
body. The endocrine system consists of the pineal body, the hypothalamus, the pituitary
gland, the thyroid gland, the thymus, the pancreas, the testes in males, and the
ovaries in females.
The endocrine system maintains homeostasis in the body through the hormones that
these glands secrete. Hormones are the chemical messengers that are usually carried by the blood around the
body. When hormones reach their target cells, they bring about a response to the
stimulus.
One of the most important glands of the endocrine system is the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is as little as a pea and is located at the bottom of the
brain. The hormones secreted by the pituitary gland control many essential bodily
functions. The anterior lobe of the pituitary gland secretes seven different hormones, including
the thyroid-stimulating hormone, which stimulates the thyroid gland to secrete
thyroid hormones. The posterior lobe of the pituitary gland stores hormones secreted by the
hypothalamus, such as adrenocorticotropic hormone, or ADH, which helps control water
reabsorption in the kidneys. Due to the number of hormones secreted by the pituitary gland and how it regulates
the activities of most other endocrine glands, it is sometimes called the master
gland.
With this information, we are able to answer the question. Therefore, the sentence should read “The pituitary gland is called the master gland
because it regulates the activities of most other endocrine glands in the human
body.”
