Inhibiting hormones make the anterior pituitary secrete hormones.

Question

true or false

Answer 1

This is a bit of a tricky. The hard part is not getting confused about which hormones stimulate which, and what inhibits what. 

 

To answer this question, first understand the function of the pituitary gland, and that is to secrete trophic hormones.

 

Trophic hormones are hormones that stimulate tissue growth. Two types of trophic hormones secreted by the anterior pituitary are 1) TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) and 2) ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone). TSH stimulates the thyroid to increase the number and size of thyroid cells, and secrete thyroid hormones; ACTH stimulates the adrenal cortex to increase the number and size of cells in the adrenal cortex, and secrete steroids, primarily cortisol.

 

But what affects pituitary secretion? The hypothalamus works closely with the pituitary through a negative feedback system. It (the hypothalamus) secretes hormones that control the release of other hormones.

 

For example, the hypothalamus releases TRH (thyrotropin-releasing hormone) in response to low circulating blood levels of TSH. TRH stimulates the anterior pituitary to secrete TSH which in turn stimulates the thyroid gland to secrete T4, thyroid hormone. T4 is then converted to T3, which is the active hormone that stimulates cellular metabolism.

 

It gets a little complicated, but what I would recommend is memorizing these hormones as well as what they do and which anatomical site they are secreted from in response to what.

 

To answer this question, one way to think about it is to re-word it:

 

X (hormones) cause the anterior pituitary to secrete hormones? or What kind of hormones cause the anterior pituitary to secrete hormones?

 

Solve for X.

 

What hormones does the anterior pituitary secrete?

 

The anterior pituitary hormones are stimulatory hormones (If they are secreted, more of something is needed):

1. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
2. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
3. Growth hormone (GH)
4. Luteinizing hormone (LH)
5. Prolactin
6. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)

 

If these hormones stimulate release of other hormones in their target organs, for example, the thyroid, what do you think would be the function of hormones on the anterior pituitary that cause their secretion?

 

Releasing hormones, that is, stimulating hormones, cause the anterior pituitary to secrete or release other hormones.

 

So, if I have not totally confused both of us, I believe your answer is false.

 

"Releasing" hormones (secreted by the hypothalamus) cause the secretion of (stimulating) hormones by the anterior pituitary, and these hormones in turn stimulate target organs to produce other hormones, such as thyroid hormone and cortisol.

 

Hope this helps!