Q. What are the hormones secreted by the adenohypophysis? What are their respective functions?
The ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone), adenohypophisys secretes GH (growth hormone), TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone), prolactin, FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone).
GH also called as somatotropic hormone (STH) acts upon bones, muscles and cartilages promoting the growth of these tissues. Prolactin is the hormone that in women stimulates the secretion and production of milk by the mammary glands. The ACTH is the hormone that stimulates the cortical portion of the adrenal gland to secrete and produce the cortical hormones (glucocorticoids). The TSH is the hormone that stimulates the activity of the thyroid gland increasing the secretion and production of its hormones T4 and T3. The FSH is a gonadotropic hormone that is it stimulates the gonads and in women it acts upon the ovaries inducing the growth of follicles in men it stimulates spermatogenesis. The LH is also a gonadotropic hormone that acts upon the ovaries of women to stimulate ovulation and the formation of the corpus luteum that secretes estrogen and in men upon the testicles to stimulate the production of testosterone.