Abstract
This chapter discusses the chemistry and structure of posterior pituitary hormones, vasopressin, corticotrophin, growth hormone (somatotrophin), thyroid-stimulating hormone (thyro-trophin), prolactin (lactogenic hormone, luteotrophin), interstitial cell-stimulating hormone (ICSH, luteinising hormone), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH, intermedin), parathyroid hormone, and pancreatic hormones. The pituitary gland, which is situated on the underside of the brain, is composed of two main parts, namely, the anterior lobe and the posterior lobe, with a small section dividing the two. The two lobes have different structures and secrete completely different hormones. Vasopressin is isolated from the posterior pituitary by methods analogous to those described for oxytocin. Vasopressin may be purified by counter-current distribution using the solvent system n-butanol-0·09 M p-toluenesulphonic acid. As in the case of oxytocin improved methods of isolation have resulted from the introduction of modern fractionation techniques. The anterior pituitary is in many regards the master gland of the endocrine system because it secretes a number of hormones that regulate the activity of other endocrine glands. Extracts of the adenohypophysis contain six well-defined and separate hormones each of which has been isolated in highly purified form. The parathyroid glands are small flattened ovoid masses of a yellowish color which are attached to the thyroid gland. Normally there is an upper (external) and lower (internal) pair but variations in both the number and disposition of the glands are known.
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