The inferior hypophysial artery is an artery in the head. It is a branch of the cavernous carotid artery, itself from the

internal carotid artery The internal carotid artery is an artery in the neck which supplies the anterior cerebral artery, anterior and middle cerebral artery, middle cerebral circulation. In human anatomy, the internal and external carotid artery, external carotid ari ...

. It supplies the

posterior pituitary The posterior pituitary (or neurohypophysis) is the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland which is part of the endocrine system. Unlike the anterior pituitary, the posterior pituitary is not glandular, but largely a collection of axonal projec ...

of the

pituitary gland The pituitary gland or hypophysis is an endocrine gland in vertebrates. In humans, the pituitary gland is located at the base of the human brain, brain, protruding off the bottom of the hypothalamus. The pituitary gland and the hypothalamus contr ...

Structure

The inferior hypophysial artery is a branch of the cavernous carotid artery, itself from the

. Alternatively, it may arise from the meningohypophyseal artery. It passes across the middle of the

cavernous sinus The cavernous sinus within the human head is one of the dural venous sinuses creating a cavity called the lateral sellar compartment bordered by the temporal bone of the skull and the sphenoid bone, lateral to the sella turcica. Structure The ...

. It reaches the lateral surface of the posterior pituitary. It merges with the other inferior hypophysial artery. The inferior hypophysial artery may give off the medial clival artery.

Function

The inferior hypophysial artery supplies the

, specifically the

(neurohypophysis). It is important for distributing

vasopressin Mammalian vasopressin, also called antidiuretic hormone (ADH), arginine vasopressin (AVP) or argipressin, is a hormone synthesized from the ''AVP'' gene as a peptide prohormone in neurons in the hypothalamus, and is converted to AVP. It ...

into the bloodstream.

History

The inferior hypophysial artery was first identified in 1860 by

Hubert von Luschka Hubert von Luschka, born Hubert Luschka (July 27, 1820 in Konstanz – March 1, 1875 in Tübingen), was a German anatomy, anatomist. He lent his name to several structures, including the foramina of Luschka, Luschka's crypts, Luschka's joints, an ...

References

{{Authority control Arteries of the head and neck