somatostatin

[ suh-mat-uh-stat-n, soh-muh-tuh- ]

noun

, Biochemistry.

1. a polypeptide hormone, produced in the brain and pancreas, that inhibits secretion of somatotropin from the hypothalamus and inhibits insulin production by the pancreas.

somatostatin

/ ˌsəʊmətəˈstætɪn /

noun

1. a peptide hormone that prevents the release of growth hormone from the pituitary gland

somatostatin

/ sō-măt′ə-stăt′n,sō′mə-tə- /

1. A polypeptide produced by the hypothalamus and the pancreas. Somatostatin produced by the hypothalamus acts as a neurohormone that inhibits the secretion of other hormones, especially growth hormone and thyrotropin. Somatostatin secreted by the pancreas acts as a hormone that inhibits the secretion of the other pancreatic hormones, insulin and glucagon, and reduces the activity of the digestive system.

Word History and Origins

Origin of somatostatin¹

First recorded in 1970–75; somato(tropin) + stat-, extracted from derivative nouns of Latin stāre “to stand, stand up, be standing” + -in noun suffix; stand, -in ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of somatostatin¹

C20: from somato- + -stat + -in