Hormones of the Anterior Pituitary Gland. Part I. Growth and Adrenocorticotropic Hormones

Abstract

The pituitary gland or hypophysis cerebri is located in the sella turcica, a concavity in the splenoid bone, and is attached to the base of the brain by a thin stalk. The chapter explores the six recognized hormones of the anterior pituitary that were originally named according to their first observable biological properties, and alternative designations were assigned as additional biological functions were disclosed: growth hormone (GH, somatotropin, somatotropic hormone, STH); adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH, corticotropin, adrenotropin, adrenotropic hormone); lactogenic hormone (prolactin, mammotropin, luteotropin, luteotropic hormone, LTH); thyrotropic hormone (thyrotropin, thyroid-stimulating hormone, TSH); folliclestimulating hormone (FSH, gametotropic hormone, thylakentrin); and interstitial-cell-stimulating hormone (ICSH, luteinizing hormone, LH, hormonotropic hormone, metakentrin). An outline of methods generally employed for the bioassay of anterior pituitary hormones is discussed. The anterior pituitary secretes a hormone possessing growth-promoting activity. The chapter presents the multiple functions of growth hormone. The name adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) has been employed to designate the active principle in pituitary extracts that accomplishes repair of adrenalcortical atrophy in hypophysectomixed animals, and in 1951, the term corticotropin was formally accepted for the preparations that possess adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) activity. The various extraction procedures that have been employed for obtaining adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) concentrates involve vigorous treatment of fresh or acetonedried pituitary glands.