tsh
Definition
Noun: A hormone produced and secreted by the anterior pituitary gland. Its primary function is to stimulate the thyroid gland to produce and release its own hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which regulate the body's metabolism.
Usage
- TSH is primarily used in medical and biological contexts.
- It is often measured in blood tests to assess thyroid function. High levels can indicate an underactive thyroid, while low levels can indicate an overactive thyroid.
- It is typically used as an uncountable noun.
Examples
- The doctor ordered a TSH test to check her thyroid function.
- Elevated TSH levels are a key indicator of hypothyroidism.
- The secretion of TSH is regulated by thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) from the hypothalamus.
Advanced Usage
- TSH receptor: Refers to the specific receptor on thyroid gland cells that TSH binds to in order to stimulate hormone production.
- Example: Antibodies can sometimes block the TSH receptor, causing thyroid dysfunction.
- TSH suppression therapy: A treatment approach, often used in thyroid cancer management, where high doses of thyroid hormone are given to suppress TSH secretion.
- Example: After surgery, the patient was placed on TSH suppression therapy.
Variants and Related Words
- Thyrotropin: The full technical name for TSH.
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone: The full descriptive name, synonymous with thyrotropin and TSH.
- Thyroxine (T4) and Triiodothyronine (T3): The thyroid hormones whose production is stimulated by TSH.
Synonyms
- Thyrotropin
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone
Notes
- TSH is an initialism/acronym. It is always written in uppercase letters.
- While it stands for "Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone," in professional medical discourse, the initialism "TSH" is far more common than the full term.
Noun
-
anterior pituitary hormone that stimulates the function of the thyroid gland
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