The hypophysis, or pituitary gland, is a gland located inside the skull at its base. Although it is very small, comparable in size to a pea, it plays a crucial role because it is directly connected with a part of the brain called the hypothalamus and provides the link between the activities of the brain and those of the endocrine system for hormone production.
The pituitary gland is regulated by hormones produced by the hypothalamus and in turn produces hormones that influence the activity of other glands such as the thyroid, adrenal glands and gonads (ovaries and testes) called “target glands.” It is precisely because of this controlling function that it is also referred to asthe “master gland.”
