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Pituitary Gland Priming

Meaning

Pituitary Gland Priming is a clinical strategy involving the preparatory administration of a secretagogue or releasing hormone to the pituitary gland to enhance its subsequent responsiveness to a secondary, more potent stimulus. This technique is designed to up-regulate receptor expression and replenish hormone stores within the pituitary somatotrophs or gonadotrophs, thereby maximizing the pulsatile release of Growth Hormone (GH) or Luteinizing Hormone (LH) when the main stimulus is applied. This method is used to optimize the effectiveness of endogenous or exogenous endocrine interventions.