Objective: To characterize an influence of nitric oxide in both physiological and pathological states involving hypothalamus and pituitary gland – stress response, inflammation and apoptosis. Design: Review. Setting: Department of Pathological Physiology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague. Conclusion: Except its physiological role in a hypothalamic-pituitary regulation in a rest phase, NO acts as a new neuromediator of a hypothalamic-pituitary stress axis. NO modulates corticoliberine and ACTH synthesis and effects. We discuss a potential role of NO in both inflammatory and apoptotic changes in pituitary gland, too. The recent research on genetically modified animals with knockout NO synthesis gives a new insight into a role of NO in hypothalamic-pituitary regulation.

        Key words: apoptosis, inflammation, nitric oxide, pituitary gland, stress.