What is Pituitary gland?
[[File:LocationOfHypothalamus.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Position of pituitary and hypothalamus]] [[File:Gray1180.png|thumb|right|275px|Position of the pituitary (detail)]] The '''pituitary gland''' (or ''hypophysis'') is an important part of the [[endocrine system]]. It is at the base of the [[brain]] between the [[Eye|eyes]]. The pituitary is attached to the [[hypothalamus]], which is also a [[gland]]. The pituitary controls a whole range of [[Vital function|vital functions]] by secreting [[hormone]]s. The pituitary gland consists of two parts: the anterior pituitary and the posterior pituitary. It is functionally linked to the hypothalamus by the '''pituitary stalk''' (also called the ''infundibulum'').<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.genscript.com/product_003/molecular_biology_glossary/id/10470/category/glossary/median_eminence.html |title=Median eminence - Glossary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology |access-date=2011-06-27 |archive-date=2011-07-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711085642/http://www.genscript.com/product_003/molecular_biology_glossary/id/10470/category/glossary/median_eminence.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The hypothalamus releases [[Factors (biology)|factors]] down the pituitary stalk to the pituitary gland where they cause the release of '''pituitary hormones'''. Although the pituitary gland is known as the 'master' endocrine gland, both of the lobes are under the control of the [[hypothalamus]].<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10600709|title=Signaling mechanisms in pituitary morphogenesis and cell fate determination|first1=J. S.|last1=Dasen|first2=M. G.|last2=Rosenfeld|date=1 December 1999|journal=Current Opinion in Cell Biology|volume=11|issue=6|pages=669–677|doi=10.1016/s0955-0674(99)00034-4|via=PubMed|pmid=10600709}}</ref> Endocrine cells of the anterior pituitary are controlled by regulatory hormones released by [[neurosecretion|neurosecretory cells]] in the hypothalamus. == Hormones released == The gland releases several kinds of hormones.