The pituitary gland is the most essential gland in the human body system because it controls the functioning of other glands in the body. Precisely, it produces and stores hormones, which control a variety of body functions, which include production of urea, and sex hormones (Melmed 56). Thyroid activity and growth of infants are the other essential functions performed by this gland. Evidently, the pituitary gland functions by manufacturing various kinds of hormones.
The pituitary gland receives signals from the environment via the brain. This prompts the release of specific hormones to the blood stream (Hoh 104). These hormones act as messengers, which trigger specific glands to function as expected. After these gland functions as expected, the pituitary gland will reverse its action to reduce the production of these hormones. Overall, the pituitary gland controls different involuntary functions, particularly those involving the nervous system.
An example of a negative feedback where the pituitary gland regulates the functioning of another gland is evident during the regulation of calcium levels in the blood. When the calcium levels in the blood are low, the hypothalamus part of the brain will trigger the pituitary gland to release hormones, which stimulate the parathyroid gland to release parathyroid hormones, which control the calcium levels in blood (Starr & Beverly 288). Conversely, an excess of calcium in the blood will prompt the brain to stimulate the pituitary gland to release hormones, which will stimulate reduction of parathyroid hormone by the parathyroid gland.
Work Cited
Hoh, Yin, K. Longman A-Level Biology: Growth, Development and Reproduction. Pearson Education South Asia, 2002. Print.
Melmed, Shlomo M. D. The Pituitary: Third Edition. Burlington: Elsevier Science, 2010. Internet resource.
Starr, Cecie, and Beverly McMillan. Human Biology. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning, 2014. Print.
