Ghrelin, a peptide hormone, has several functions, of which the best known is its growth hormone (GH)-releasing effect in the pituitary. It also increases appetite and feeding behavior. Recent studies have implicated ghrelin in the regulation of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and immune function, and suggest a role for ghrelin in bone physiology. In this study, the effect of chronically admi...

Deletion of the dopamine transporter (DAT) results in increased dopaminergic tone, anterior pituitary hypoplasia, dwarfism, and an inability to lactate. DAT elimination alters the spatial distribution and dramatically reduces the numbers of lactotrophs and somatotrophs in the pituitary. Despite having normal circulating levels of growth hormone and prolactin in blood, hypoplastic glands from DA...

Introduction: pituitary tumours Pituitary tumours are very common, being present in approximately 11 yo of population at autopsy. Thus most are of little clinical significance and only a minority lead to clinical symptoms. They are usually classified clinically by the hormone( s) or hormone subunits which they secrete, and their size, i.e. micro (< 10 mm in diameter) or macroadenomas ( > 10 mm ...

The present study reported on an unusual case of refractory hypotension induced by Sheehan syndrome with pituitary crisis and explored the causes and treatment of hypotension in hypopiptuitarism. Refractory hypotension is a rare and severe complication of longstanding hypopituitarism induced by Sheehan syndrome with pituitary crisis. A 48-year-old Chinese woman with pituitary crisis due to Shee...

We have studied the expression of the pituitary transcription factors Ptx-1 and Prop-1 in a series of 34 pituitary adenomas fully characterized for in vitro hormone secretion and histological staining. In studies involving mammalian cell lines, the pituitary transcription factor Ptx-1 has been shown to be a pituitary hormone panactivator, whereas more recent studies have shown that it plays an ...

Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), a 19-amino acid orexigenic (appetite-stimulating) hypothalamic peptide, is an important regulator of energy homeostasis. It is cleaved from its precursor prepro-MCH (ppMCH) along with several other neuropeptides whose roles are not fully defined. Because pituitary hormones such as growth hormone (GH), ACTH, and thyroid-stimulating hormone affect body weight ...

The anterior pituitary releases six different hormones that control virtually all aspects of vertebrate physiology, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying their Ca(2+)-triggered release remain unknown. A subset of the synaptotagmin (syt) family of proteins serve as Ca(2+) sensors for exocytosis in neurons and neuroendocrine cells, and are thus likely to regulate pituitary hormone secretion. He...

The hypothalamus regulates the secretion of anterior pituitary hormones via release of releasing hormones into the hypophysial portal vasculature. Additional neuromessengers act at the pituitary to modulate responses to the hypothalamic hormones. For example, neuropeptide Y enhances the effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone and the response to the prolactin-inhibiting hormone dopamine.

A case of pituitary gigantism resulting from a pituitary adenoma which secreted growth hormone is described. The patient was successfully treated by surgery, which led to the normalisation of endogenous growth hormone secretion. An acceptable final height was achieved with high dose intramuscular testosterone treatment.