[Growth factors in the pituitary gland]

There are increasing numbers of evidence that many factors, such as growth factors and cytokines, exist in the pituitary gland, and modulate the release of pituitary hormone both in vivo and in vitro. They indicate the importance of autocrine and paracrine control system within the pituitary gland. For instance, activin, a compound whose existence and nature (in contrast to the related protein inhibin) was not contemplated before its discovery in 1986, has been shown to be synthesized in gonadotrophs and to produce diverse effects on the anterior pituitary. We would like to introduce some recent studies on growth factors in the pituitary gland.