The pituitary gland is the master endocrine gland located between the hypothalamus and the pineal gland in a depression called sella turcica in the sphenoid bone. The pituitary gland has two parts: The anterior pituitary which produces hormones that affect the breasts, adrenal glands, thyroid, ovaries and testes etc. The posterior pituitary stores and releases hormones synthesized by the hypothalamus which predominantly act on kidneys, uterus etc.