The hormone whose deficiency causes diabetes insipidus is released from which nucleus of pituitary?
High-Yield Explanation
The hypothalamus contains two types of magnocellular (large) neurons that synthesize ADH in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus, about five sixths in the supraoptic nuclei and about one sixth in the paraventricular nuclei.
The most important renal action of ADH is to increase the water permeability of the distal tubule, collecting tubule and collecting duct epithelia. This effect helps the body to conserve water in circumstances such as dehydration. In the absence of ADH, the permeability of the distal tubules and collecting ducts to water is low, causing the kidneys to excrete large amounts of dilute urine, a condition called diabetes insipidus. Thus, the actions of ADH play a key role in controlling the degree of dilution or concentration of the urine.