Pituitary blood flow.

ABSTRACT

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.