The study of the pituitary gland using animals and alternatives: Can the latter completely replace the former?

In this review, the role experiments and procedures on animals and animal tissues in elucidating the understanding of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland are discussed. Such findings have led to direct application in the diagnosis and treatment of human endocrine disorders. In vitro methods for investigating the human pituitary gland have recently led to important new discoveries but even these 'alternative' techniques exploit animal research or procedures at least to some degree. Nevertheless, the need for use of animals has been significantly reduced by these novel methods.