Impact of Developmental Exposures to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals on Pituitary Gland Reproductive Function.

The pituitary gland is crucial for regulating many physiological systems, including reproduction. Clear evidence suggests pituitary function could be impaired by exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Humans and animals are exposed to EDCs throughout life but exposure during critical periods when the pituitary is developing could have more damaging consequences. In this review we summarize the development of the pituitary gland, including the impact of hormone signals, and describe how in vivo EDC exposure during development might alter pituitary function. These include changes in pituitary hormone, mRNA and protein expression levels, as well as pituitary cell number and population balance. We focus on reproductive hormone-producing cells as well as the other endocrine and pituitary stem/progenitor cells. We reveal the current gaps in knowledge and suggest future directions in terms of understanding effects of developmental EDC exposure directly on the pituitary gland.