somatotropin

Pronunciation: sō′mă-tō-trō′pin

Definition: A protein hormone of the anterior lobe of the pituitary, produced by the acidophil cells, which promotes body growth, fat mobilization, and inhibition of glucose use; diabetogenic when present in excess; a deficiency of somatotropin is associated with a number of types of dwarfism (type III is an X-linked disorder).

Synonym(s): growth hormone, pituitary growth hormone, somatotropic hormone

[for somatotrophin, fr. somato- + G. trophē nourishment; corrupted to -tropin and reanalyzed as fr. G. tropē, a turning]

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