ADENOHIPOPHYSIS:Also called the anterior pituitary, it is the anterior portion of the pituitary gland and secretes hormones from the stimulation of releasing hormones from the hypothalamus.

NEUROSSECRETORY CELLS: These are the magnocellular and parvicellular neurons, which reside in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei.

HYPOTHALAMUS-PITUITARY AXIS: Communication between the hypothalamus and the pituitary.

ENDOCRINE GLANDS: Classical endocrine glands lack ducts and therefore secrete their chemicals (hormones) into the interstitial space, from which they pass into the circulation.

HYPOPHYSIS: Also called the pituitary, it is an endocrine gland. It is divided into anterior pituitary (or adenohypophysis) and posterior pituitary (or neurohypophysis). Its anterior portion secretes hormones such as growth hormone, prolactin, thyroid-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and corticotropin. Its posterior portion secretes the antidiuretic hormones and oxytocin.

HYPOTHALAMUS: The hypothalamus is the region of the brain that has the function of maintaining homeostasis, mainly through coordination through the nervous and endocrine systems.

HOMEOSTASIS: Maintenance of almost constant conditions in the internal environment.

ADRENOCORTICOTROPHIC HORMONE: Secreted by the adenohypophysis, it is primarily responsible for controlling the production of steroids by the adrenal cortex.

GROWING HORMONE: Also called Somatotropin, it is secreted by the adenohypophysis and its function is to stimulate tissue growth.

FOLLICLE STIMULATING HORMONE:  It is secreted by the adenohypophysis and stimulates the secretion of estrogen, responsible for the development and maturation of ovarian follicles.

LUTEINIZING HORMONE:  It is secreted by the adenohypophysis and, in women, is responsible for the maturation of follicles, ovulation and production of progesterone.

THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE: It is secreted by the anterior pituitary gland and stimulates the thyroid to produce two hormones: triidothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4).

OXYTOCIN HORMONE: Secreted by the neurohypophysis, it has several functions, such as promoting uterine muscle contractions, reducing bleeding during childbirth, stimulating the release of breast milk and developing attachment and empathy between people.

VASOPRESSIN HORMONE: Also called arginine vasopressin (AVP) or argipressin or antidiuretic hormone (ADH), it is secreted by the neurohypophysis and has antidiuretic and vasopressor effects.

HORMONES: Hormones are chemicals, released by the cell in very small amounts, that exert a biological action on a target cell.

NEUROHYPOPHYSIS: Also called the posterior pituitary, it is the posterior portion of the pituitary. Secretes hormones that are produced in the hypothalamus and transported to the pituitary via neurosecretory cells.

MAGNOCELLULAR NEURONS: They are located mainly in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus and produce large amounts of the neurohormones oxytocin and vasopressin.

PARVICELLULAR NEURONS: Have projections that end in the median eminence, brain stem, and spinal cord. These neurons release small amounts of releasing or inhibiting neurohormones, which control anterior pituitary function.

TARGET ORGAN: The target organ contains cells that express specific hormone receptors and that respond to the binding of a particular hormone with a demonstrable biological action.

NEGATIVE FEEDBACK: It is the reduction or inhibition of the initial stimulus.

POSITIVE FEEDBACK: Is the stimulation or intensification of the original stimulus

THYROID: It is a gland that produces the hormones triidothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4).