Tag: hypothalamus

While the pituitary gland is known as the 'master' endocrine gland, both of its lobes are under the control of the hypothalamus; the anterior pituitary receives its signals from the parvocellular neurons and the posterior pituitary receives its signals from magnocellular neurons.

Prolactin-releasing hormone (PRH) activates the anterior pituitary to initiate production and ejection of breast milk through the production of prolactin. Oxytocin along with prolactin hormone stimulates milk production. FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) stimulates the growth of ovarian follicles in the ovary before ovulation.

In humans, pheromones are secreted onto our skin through the apocrine glands (sometimes called as human scent glands). These are similar to eccrine glands but the apocrine glands secrete a more oily substance. The apocrine glands are normally associated with hairy areas, such as armpits and the crotch area, and are also usually accompanied by eccrine glands, which help to disperse the pheromone secretions. Apocrine glands are activated at puberty, along with hair growth in the axillary (armpit) regions and crotch, which increase the surface area for pheromone dispersal. 

Most prostaglandins act locally; they are powerful as locally acting vasodilators. Vasodilation occurs when the muscles in the walls of blood vessels relax, so that the vessels dilate. This creates less resistance to blood flow and allows blood flow to increase and hence blood pressure to decrease. 

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), also called as thyrotropin-releasing factor (TRF), is a tropic, tripeptidal hormone, produced by the hypothalamus, that stimulates the release of TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) and prolactin from the anterior pituitary.