EMBRYOLOGY OF THE PITUITARY-GLAND

For some 40 years, the development of the pituitary gland has been the subject of numerous studies. Several aspects of the origin, different iation, and commitment of the pituitary cells, however, are still in d oubt. The pituitary gland of several species apparently originates fro m the anterior ridge of the neural plate. Glandular pituitary cells ca n be committed very soon in embryonic life, as early as at the open ne ural stages. Numbers of differentiation and transcription factors may then control the expression of a given phenotype from the committed ce lls. Many questions remain unansweved about factors underlying such ce llular commitment. These issues call for further studies to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of known and unknown factors controlling the embryology of the pituitary gland.