Corticotrophic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to a substance that stimulates the outer layer of the adrenal gland to release its hormones into the bloodstream
2. Describing an agent or hormone that acts on the adrenal cortex to promote the production and secretion of corticosteroids
3. Having the effect of activating the adrenal cortex so that it releases steroid hormones such as cortisol

Etymology: "Corticotrophic" is an alternative spelling of "corticotropic," and both are built from two parts: "cortico-", from Latin "cortex," meaning bark or rind (in anatomy, the outer layer of an organ such as the adrenal gland or brain), and "-tropic," from Greek "tropikos," meaning "turning" or "turning toward," as in "heliotropic," where plants turn toward the sun. Put together, the word describes something that acts on or turns toward the cortex of an organ. In practice the term is used of hormones, most notably the pituitary hormone that stimulates the adrenal cortex, the outer layer of the adrenal gland. The "-trophic" spelling and the "-tropic" spelling both appear, and they are variants of the same word. Because the parts are classical and the term is a modern scientific formation, it was coined for physiology rather than inherited from ancient usage.

Synonyms: corticotropic