Somatotropin

Growth hormone, a polypeptide containing 191 amino acids, produced by the anterior pituitary, the front section of the pituitary gland. It acts by stimulating the release of another hormone called somatomedin by the liver, thereby causing growth. Somatotropin is also known as somatropin. Somatotropin is given to children with pituitary dwarfism (short stature due to underfunction of the anterior pituitary) to help them grow.

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A protein hormone of the anterior lobe of the pituitary, produced by the acidophil cells, that promotes body growth, fat mobilization, and inhibition of glucose utilization; diabetogenic when present in excess; a deficiency of s. is associated with a number of types of dwarfism (type III is an X-linked disorder). SYN: growth hormone, pituitary growth hormone, somatotropic hormone. [for somatotrophin, fr. somato- + G. trophe nourishment; corrupted to -tropin and reanalyzed as fr. G. trope, a turning]

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so·ma·to·tro·pin -'trō-pən also so·ma·to·tro·phin -fən n GROWTH HORMONE

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so·ma·to·tro·pin (soґmə-to-tro″pin) growth hormone.