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The pituitary gland: a brief history

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Abstract

The functions of the pituitary gland as an important constituent of the endocrine system were not understood until the latter part of the nineteenth century and the first half of the 20th century. At one time, the pituitary was deemed to be the “leader of the endocrine orchestra,” but more recent studies have shown that its secretions are influenced by external stimuli and that it is largely under the control of the hypothalamus.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1752, USA

    Solomon Alexander Kaplan

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  1. Solomon Alexander Kaplan
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Correspondence to Solomon Alexander Kaplan.

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Kaplan, S.A. The pituitary gland: a brief history. Pituitary 10, 323–325 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11102-007-0050-x

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