The master gland
Pituitary gland · hypophysis
A pea-sized gland under the brain that directs many of the body's other hormone glands.
What it does
The pituitary hangs from the underside of the brain in a bony pocket of the sphenoid bone. Under orders from the hypothalamus, it releases hormones that control growth, the thyroid, the adrenal glands, the testes and ovaries, milk production and water balance.
Surprising fact
It sits just below the crossing of the optic nerves, so a pituitary tumour can first show itself as loss of vision at the outer edges.
Why it matters
Growth hormone from the pituitary drives childhood growth; too much before puberty causes gigantism, and too little causes short stature, both treatable.
Nearby
Read more
Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.