Hypothalamic-hypophyseal portal veins

The adenohypophysis does not have a direct anatomical connection with the hypothalamus therefore, regulation of hormone secretion by way of neuronal signals is not possible. Instead, these two structures are associated by a specialized circulatory system and the secretion of hormones from the adenohypophysis is regulated by hormonal signals from the hypothalamus (see Figure 10.2). Systemic arterial blood is directed first to the hypothalamus. The exchange of materials between the blood and the interstitial fluid of the hypothalamus takes place at the primary capillary plexus. The blood then flows to the adenohypophysis through the hypothalamic-hypophyseal portal veins. Portal veins are blood vessels that connect two capillary beds. The second capillary bed in this system is the secondary capillary plexus located in the adenohypophysis. 

Located in close proximity to the primary capillary plexus in the hypothalamus are specialized neurosecretory cells. In fact, the axons of these cells terminate on the capillaries. The neurosecretory cells synthesize two types of hormones releasing hormones and inhibiting hormones (see Table 10.2). Each of these hormones helps to regulate the release of a particular hormone from the adenohypophysis. For example, thyrotropin-releasing hormone produced by the neurosecretory cells of the hypothalamus stimulates secretion of thyrotropin from the thyrotrope cells of the adenohypophysis. The hypo-thalamic-releasing hormone is picked up by the primary capillary plexus travels through the hypothalamic-hypophyseal portal veins to the anterior pituitary leaves the blood by way of the secondary capillary plexus and exerts its effect on the appropriate cells of the adenohypophysis. The hypophyseal hormone, in this case, thyrotropin, is then picked up by the secondary capillary plexus, removed from the pituitary by the venous blood, and delivered to its target tissue. 

Figure 16.1 Hypothalamic-pituitary system. The hypothalamus receives various types of impulses and responds by secreting appropriate release and release-inhibiting factors. These migrate to the anterior or intermediate pituitary via the hypophyseal portal vein system and elicit the secretion of various tropic or non tropic hormones. For instance, when the organism is exposed to cold, blood TSH levels increase when under stress, blood ACTH levels rise. In some animals, the absence of light causes the release of a-MSH.

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