luteotropin
Noun: 1. A hormone stimulating milk production: Luteotropin is a protein hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland. Its primary function is to stimulate and maintain the secretion of milk (lactation) in the mammary glands after childbirth.
- Luteotropin is a specific, scientific term used primarily in the fields of biology, endocrinology, and medicine.
- It is used to discuss physiological processes related to reproduction and lactation.
- Noun:
- The release of luteotropin is essential for initiating lactation in new mothers.
- Prolactin, also known as luteotropin, is regulated by the hypothalamus.
- "Luteotropic effect": This phrase describes the biological action of stimulating or supporting the corpus luteum, a temporary endocrine structure in the ovary. While "luteotropin" primarily refers to prolactin's role in lactation, its name derives from this secondary effect in some species.
- In rodents, the hormone exhibits a significant luteotropic effect.
- Prolactin (n): This is the more common and clinically standard synonym for luteotropin.
- Luteotrophic (adj): The alternative spelling for the adjective form.
- Luteotropic (adj): Describing an agent, like the hormone, that stimulates the corpus luteum.
- The hormone has luteotropic properties.
- Prolactin: The most direct and frequently used synonym.
- Lactogenic hormone: A descriptive synonym highlighting its function in milk production.
- Mammotropin: Another synonym emphasizing its action on the mammary glands.
While the core definition of luteotropin is synonymous with prolactin and centers on lactation, its etymology points to an additional, species-specific function: 1. Primary Meaning (Human Context): The hormone that induces and maintains milk secretion (identical to prolactin). 2. Etymological/Secondary Meaning: An agent that promotes the growth and secretory activity of the corpus luteum ("luteo-" refers to the corpus luteum, "-tropin" means to stimulate). This effect is prominent in some animals but is not its primary role in humans.
- gonadotropic hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary; in females it stimulates growth of the mammary glands and lactation after parturition