Anterior Pituitary
Colour by Numbers Activity
The content in this activity aligns with Chapter 17: Endocrine System in Building a Medical Terminology Foundation 2e.
Instructions: Review the illustration. This illustration displays the anterior pituitary gland.
Task: Colour each numbered structure using the colour indicated in the list below:
- neurosecretory cells (orange)
- primary capillary (red)
- posterior pituitary (yellow)
- secondary capillary plexus (brown)
- anterior pituitary hormone (purple)
- anterior pituitary (green)
- hypophyseal portal vein (dark blue)
- superior hypophyseal artery (red)
- hypothalamus hormone (pink)
Image Attribution
The image used in this activity was sourced from OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology OER by Betts, et al., which is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Following OpenStax’s leadership and in the spirit of open education, we have licensed this OER with the same license.
Image Description
This illustration activity shows the anterior pituitary. The illustration zooms in on the hypothalamus and the attached pituitary gland. The anterior pituitary is highlighted. Three neurosecretory cells are secreting hormones into a web-like network of arteries within the infundibulum. The artery net is the primary capillary plexus of the hypophyseal portal system. The superior hypophyseal artery enters the primary capillary plexus from outside of the infundibulum. The hypophyseal portal vein runs down from the primary capillary plexus, through the infundibulum, and connects to the secondary capillary plexus of the hypophyseal portal system. The secondary capillary plexus is located within the anterior pituitary. The hormones released from the neurosecretory cells of the hypothalamus travel through the primary capillary plexus, down the hypophyseal portal vein, and into the secondary capillary plexus. There, the hypothalamus hormones stimulate the anterior pituitary to release its hormones. The anterior pituitary hormones leave the primary capillary plexus from a single vein at the bottom of the anterior lobe.