Releasing Factor (Noun)
Meaning 1
Any of several hormones produced in the hypothalamus and carried by a vein to the anterior pituitary gland where they stimulate the release of anterior pituitary hormones; each of these hormones causes the anterior pituitary to secrete a specific hormone.
Classification
Nouns denoting body parts.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
A substance produced by the hypothalamus that is capable of accelerating the secretion of a given hormone by the anterior pituitary gland.
Classification
Nouns denoting substances.
Examples
- The hypothalamic releasing factor for the anterior pituitary hormone prolactin was difficult to isolate and characterize.
- Thyrotropin-releasing factor was discovered to stimulate the release of thyroid-stimulating hormone from the anterior pituitary gland.
- The release of growth hormone-releasing factor by the hypothalamus played a critical role in regulating growth during puberty.
- Follicle-stimulating hormone-releasing factor was shown to be responsible for controlling reproductive hormone levels in females.
- The role of adrenocorticotropic hormone-releasing factor in the regulation of stress response was extensively studied in rodents.