Discuss the role of the hypothalamus and pituitary as a coordinated unit in maintaining physiological processes.
The hypothalamic-pituitary axis consists of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. The hypothalamus is a part of the brain and consists of several masses of grey matter called Hypothalamic nuclei. These are located in the white matter in the floor of the third cerebral vesicle of the brain; neurons of these hypothalamic nuclei control the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is a small pea-shaped gland situated below the hypothalamus and connected to the brain by a stalk. The pituitary is divided into anterior, posterior, and intermediate lobes. It secretes a number of hormones.
