Pituitary Gland: Pituitary Hormones
The human endocrine system forms a unique complex network that includes the hypothalamus, pituitary and pineal glands, adrenal gland, thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, ovaries, testes, thymus, and islet cells in the pancreas. The pituitary gland hypophysis as a 'master gland, regulates activity of other endocrine glands and affects a variety of physiological processes throughout the body. The regulation of the pituitary gland activity and its role as a complex endocrine center of body homeostasis are based on the interactions between the hypothalamus, pituitary cells, and downstream signaling neuronal networks to the endocrine gland, producing hormones that regulate and modulate a variety of the vital body functions.