cortical hormone

hormone /hor·mone/ (hor´mōn) a chemical substance produced in the body which has a specific regulatory effect on the activity of certain cells or a certain organ or organs.hormo´nal

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adrenocortical hormone 

1. any of the corticosteroids elaborated by the adrenal cortex, the major ones being the glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, and including some androgens, progesterone, and perhaps estrogens.

2. corticosteroid.

adrenocorticotropic hormone  (ACTH) corticotropin.

adrenomedullary hormones  substances secreted by the adrenal medulla, including epinephrine and norepinephrine.

androgenic hormone  androgen.

anterior pituitary hormones  those produced in the adenohypophysis (anterior pituitary), including corticotropin, follicle-stimulating hormone, growth hormone, luteinizing hormone, prolactin, and thyrotropin.

antidiuretic hormone  vasopressin.

cortical hormone  adrenocortical h.

corticotropin-releasing hormone  (CRH) a neuropeptide elaborated mainly by the median eminence of the hypothalamus, but also by the pancreas and brain, that stimulates the secretion of corticotropin.

ectopic hormone  one released from a neoplasm or cells outside the usual source of the hormone.

eutopic hormone  one released from its usual site or from a neoplasm of that tissue.

fibroblast growth hormone  a peptide hormone secreted by the adenohypophysis that is a potent mitogen of vascular endothelial cells and a regulator of tissue vascularization.

follicle-stimulating hormone  (FSH) one of the gonadotropic hormones of the adenohypophysis; it stimulates ovarian follicle growth and maturation, estrogen secretion, and endometrial changes characteristic of the first portion of the menstrual cycle in females, and stimulates spermatogenesis in males.

follicle-stimulating hormone–releasing hormone  (FSH-RH) luteinizing hormone

gonadotropic hormone  gonadotropin.

gonadotropin-releasing hormone  (Gn-RH)

1. luteinizing hormone

2. any hypothalamic factor that stimulates release of both follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone.

growth hormone  (GH) any of several related hormones secreted by the adenohypophysis that directly influence protein, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism and control the rate of skeletal and visceral growth; used pharmaceutically as somatrem and somatropin.

growth hormone–releasing hormone  (GH-RH) one elaborated by the hypothalamus, stimulating release of growth hormone from the adenohypophysis.

inhibiting hormones  hormones elaborated by one body structure that inhibit release of hormones from another structure; applied to substances of established clinical identity, while those whose chemical structure is still unknown are called inhibiting factors.

interstitial cell–stimulating hormone  luteinizing h.

lactation hormone , lactogenic hormone prolactin.

local hormone  a substance with hormonelike properties that acts at an anatomically restricted site.

luteinizing hormone  (LH) a gonadotropin of the adenohypophysis, acting with follicle-stimulating hormone in females to promote ovulation as well as secretion of androgens and progesterone. It instigates and maintains the secretory portion of the menstrual cycle and is concerned with corpus luteum formation. In males, it stimulates the development and functional activity of testicular Leydig cells.

luteinizing hormone–releasing hormone  (LH-RH) a glycoprotein gonadotropic hormone of the adenohypophysis that acts with follicle-stimulating hormone to promote ovulation and promotes secretion of androgen and progesterone. A preparation of the salts is used in the differential diagnosis of hypothalamic, pituitary, and gonadal dysfunction and in the treatment of some forms of infertility and hypogonadism.

melanocyte-stimulating hormone , melanophore-stimulating hormone (MSH) one of several peptides secreted by the anterior pituitary in humans and in the rhomboid fossa in lower vertebrates, influencing melanin formation and deposition in the body and causing color changes in the skin of amphibians, fishes, and reptiles.

neurohypophysial hormones  posterior pituitary h's.

ovarian hormones  those secreted by the ovary, such as estrogens and progestational agents.

parathyroid hormone  a polypeptide hormone secreted by the parathyroid glands, which influences calcium and phosphorus metabolism and bone formation.

placental hormones  those produced by the placenta during pregnancy, including chorionic gonadotropin and other substances having estrogenic, progestational, or adrenocorticoid activity.

plant hormone  phytohormone.

posterior pituitary hormones  those released from the neurohypophysis (posterior pituitary), including oxytocin and vasopressin.

progestational hormone 

1. progesterone.

2. see under agent.

releasing hormones  hormones elaborated in one structure that cause the release of hormones from another structure; applied to substances of established chemical identity, while those whose chemical structure is unknown are called releasing factors.

sex hormones  the estrogens and androgens considered together.

somatotrophic hormone , somatotropic hormone growth h.

somatotropin-releasing hormone  (SRH) growth hormone

steroid hormones  those that are biologically active steroids; they are secreted by the adrenal cortex, testis, ovary, and placenta and include the progestogens, glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, androgens, and estrogens.

thyroid hormones  thyroxine, calcitonin, and triiodothyronine; in the singular, thyroxine and/or triiodothyronine.

thyroid-stimulating hormone  (TSH), thyrotropic hormone thyrotropin.

thyrotropin-releasing hormone  (TRH) a tripeptide hormone of the hypothalamus, which stimulates release of thyrotropin from the adenohypophysis and also acts as a prolactin-releasing factor. It is used in diagnosis of mild hyperthyroidism and Graves' disease, and in differentiating among primary, secondary, and tertiary hypothyroidism. A synthetic preparation is called protirelin.

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cortical hormone

n.

See adrenocortical hormone.

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hormone

a chemical transmitter substance produced by cells of the body and transported by the bloodstream and other means to the cells and organs which carry specific receptors for the hormone and on which it has a specific regulatory effect.

Hormones act as chemical messengers to body organs, stimulating certain life processes and retarding others. Growth, reproduction, control of metabolic processes, sexual attributes and behavior are dependent on hormones.

Hormones are produced by various organs and body tissues, but mainly by the endocrine glands, such as the pituitary, thyroid and gonads (testes and ovaries). Each gland apparently manufactures several kinds of hormones; the adrenal glands alone produce more than 25 varieties. The total number of hormones is still unknown, but each has its unique function and structure. After a hormone is discharged by its parent gland into the capillaries or the lymph, it may travel a circuitous path through the bloodstream to exert influence on cells, tissues and organs (target organs) far removed from its site of origin.

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adrenomedullary h's

substances secreted by the adrenal medulla, including epinephrine and norepinephrine.

androgenic h's

the masculinizing hormones, androstenedione and testosterone.

hormone assay

modern techniques include the use of competitive protein binding assay and radioimmunoassay.

calciotropic hormone

any hormone which is specifically involved in the homeostatic regulation of serum calcium levels through their effects on bone and other organs, e.g. parathyroid hormone, calcitonin.

corpus luteum hormone

progesterone.

cortical hormone

corticosteroid.

ectopic h's

those secreted by tumors of nonendocrine tissues but having the same physiological effects as their normally produced counterparts. It is not known exactly how the synthesis and secretion of endocrine hormones from nonendocrine tissues occurs. Most of these tumors are derived from tissues that have a common embryonic origin with endocrine tissues. When the cells undergo neoplastic transformation, they can revert to a more primitive stage of development and begin to synthesize hormones.

enteric hormone

hormone secreted by endocrine cells in the wall of the intestine or stomach or in the pancreas. Includes gastrin, cholecystokinin, secretin, gastric inhibitory polypeptide, enteroglucagon, motilin, neurotensin, 5-HT, substance P, pancreatic polypeptide, somatostatin.

estrogenic h's

substances capable of producing certain biological effects, the most characteristic of which are the changes which occur in mammals at estrus; the naturally occurring estrogenic hormones are β-estradiol, estrone and estriol.

gonadal h's

steroids in birds which affect development of the reproductive tubular system, head decorations, feathers, squawk, behavior.

hormone herbicide

substances sprayed on plants which exert a lethal hormonal effect on the entire plant. See also hormone weedkiller (below).

lactation hormone, lactogenic hormone

prolactin.

luteotropic hormone (LTH)

see luteotropin.

neurohypophyseal h's

those stored and released by the neurohypophysis, i.e. oxytocin and vasopressin.

peptide h's

peptide molecules which exert their effects only on target cells that carry the hormone-specific receptors.

placental hormone

one secreted by the placenta, including chorionic gonadotropin, relaxin, and other substances having estrogenic, progestational or adrenocorticoid activity. See also placental hormones.

progestational h's

substances, including progesterone, that are concerned mainly with preparing the endometrium for nidation of the fertilized ovum if conception has occurred. See also progestational agent.

hormone receptors

the presence of hormone-specific receptors on cells is the means of determining which cells respond to the circulating hormones. The number of receptors on each cell is one of the ways of regulating the degree of response.

reproductive h's

see follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, luteotropic hormone, estrogen, oxytocin, pituitrin, progesterone, prolactin, relaxin, stilbestrol, testosterone.

sex h's

see sex hormones.

somatotrophic hormone, somatotropic hormone

growth hormone.

somatotropin release inhibiting hormone

somatostatin.

somatotropin releasing hormone (SRH)

growth hormone releasing hormone.

thymic hormone

thymosin.

hormone weedkiller

includes 2,4-D, 2,4,5-T, MCP, silvex, dalapon. See also tcdd, hcdd and dioxin.