The pituitary gland is called the ‘conductor of the orchestra’ because it controls a whole range of vital functions of the body. It is a pea-sized endocrine gland located at the base of the brain between the eyes. It is an important part of the endocrine system and secretes many vital hormones. The pituitary is also called the ‘master’ endocrine gland because it not only secretes its own hormones but also tells other glands to release hormones.
Hormones are the chemical messengers of the body that travel through the bloodstream to different cells telling them what to do. Some of the major hormones produced by the pituitary gland are the Adrenocorticotrophic hormone, which maintains blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and the growth hormone which helps maintain healthy muscles and bones.
Harvey Williams Cushing, an American neurosurgeon, discovered that a pituitary gland that was underworked produced too little of the growth hormone so that a person became unusually small, while an overworked pituitary gland produced too much growth hormone that resulted in extremely tall people.
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