AJP - Endocrinology and Metabolism, Vol 243, Issue 6 427-E442, Copyright © 1982 by American Physiological Society
Pituitary blood flow
R. B. Page
The direction of pituitary blood flow, the amount of pituitary blood flow,
its regional control, and the role of the median eminence microcirculation
are the subjects of this review. Present concepts of pituitary blood flow
are focused almost entirely on its direction and arouse from studies of
pituitary vascular anatomy performed almost 50 years ago. The development
of new anatomic techniques has led to a reappraisal of pituitary
angioarchitecture, stimulated physiological studies to clarify the pattern
of blood flow within the entire gland, and led to a reappraisal of accepted
concepts of directional pituitary blood flow. The availability of
techniques to accurately measure organ blood flow has permitted study of
pituitary blood flow; and, when combined with knowledge of pituitary
anatomy, the application of these techniques promises to provide a means to
develop insight into control of the mechanisms by which chemical messengers
are delivered to the pituitary to control its function. New anatomic
techniques promise to develop new understanding of the three-dimensional
arrangement of median eminence microvasculature and yield new concepts of
blood flow regulation within the median eminence that can be tested by
physiological means.
