Which gland is located in the sella turcica of the body of the sphenoid bone?

Which gland is located in the sella turcica of the body of the sphenoid bone?

• A. Pineal gland
• B. Pituitary gland
• C. Thyroid gland
• D. Parathyroid gland

Answer: (B)

The location question hinges on where the pituitary gland sits. The sella turcica is a saddle-shaped hollow in the body of the sphenoid bone that forms a housing, with the pituitary gland resting in the small depression called the hypophyseal fossa. This gland is attached to the hypothalamus by the infundibulum, placing it at the base of the brain inside the skull. The other glands are in different regions: the pineal gland sits in the brain's epithalamic region near the third ventricle, not within the sphenoid bone; the thyroid and parathyroid glands lie in the neck, anterior to the trachea. So, the gland located in the sella turcica is the pituitary gland.

The location question hinges on where the pituitary gland sits. The sella turcica is a saddle-shaped hollow in the body of the sphenoid bone that forms a housing, with the pituitary gland resting in the small depression called the hypophyseal fossa. This gland is attached to the hypothalamus by the infundibulum, placing it at the base of the brain inside the skull. The other glands are in different regions: the pineal gland sits in the brain's epithalamic region near the third ventricle, not within the sphenoid bone; the thyroid and parathyroid glands lie in the neck, anterior to the trachea. So, the gland located in the sella turcica is the pituitary gland.