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

Example Sentences

In particular, the study found the most profound changes in the neurons that connect the two hemispheres and provide long range connectivity between different brain regions and a group of interneurons, called somatostatin interneurons that are important for maturation and refinement of brain circuits.

From Science Daily

Insulin was a more complex hormone, with 51 proteins and two polypeptide chains that had to be connected, but the scientists simply applied the technique they had already developed for somatostatin.

From Washington Post

Led by Dr. Riggs, the researchers sought to develop a synthetic gene called somatostatin, a mammalian hormone.

From Washington Post

“The artificial somatostatin was proving not to be very stable when injected inside a bacterium,” Itakura told the Los Angeles Business Journal last year.

From Washington Post

“Dr. Riggs had the idea of combining the small somatostatin gene with a larger protein to give it more stability. That was a critical development. Without it, the artificial gene would not have been of much use.”

From Washington Post