The Pituitary Gland (Comprehensive Endocrinology, Revised Series)

Revised and updated by 40 experts, this second edition provides current, comprehensive information on the morphology, physiology, and molecular biology of the pituitary gland, and also the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of pituitary diseases. This edition focuses particularly on molecular aspects of pituitary hormones, especially regulation of pituitary hormone gene expression and processing of hormone precursors. Other new areas include paracrine mechanisms in the pituitary, and the role of cytokines and other humoral substances in regulating pituitary hormone secretion. Chapters on pituitary diseases highlight the role of MRI and other imaging modalities in diagnosis; examine the molecular mechanisms of pituitary tumorigenesis; elucidate the abnormalities of the genes in several genetic diseases; and discuss current treatment strategies for acromegaly, hyperprolactinaemia, and Cushing disease.