Mechanisms for pituitary tumorigenesis: the plastic pituitary.
The anterior pituitary gland integrates the repertoire of hormonal signals controlling thyroid, adrenal, reproductive, and growth functions. The gland responds to complex central and peripheral signals by trophic hormone secretion and by undergoing reversible plastic changes in cell growth leading to hyperplasia, involution, or benign adenomas arising from functional pituitary cells. Discussed herein are the mechanisms underlying hereditary pituitary hypoplasia, reversible pituitary hyperplasia, excess hormone production, and tumor initiation and promotion associated with normal and abnormal pituitary differentiation in health and disease.
Melmed
Shlomo
S
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Room 2015, Los Angeles, California 90048, USA. melmed@csmc.edu
D000236:Adenoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D043171:Chromosomal Instability; D004967:Estrogens / Q000502:physiology; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000502:physiology; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D009377:Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia / Q000209:etiology; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D064249:Securin
D004967:Estrogens; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D064249:Securin