Tropic hormones are

hormone A hormone (from the Ancient Greek, Greek participle , "setting in motion") is a class of cell signaling, signaling molecules in multicellular organisms that are sent to distant organs or tissues by complex biological processes to regulate physio ...

s that have other

endocrine gland The endocrine system is a network of glands and organs located throughout the body. Along with the nervous system, it makes the neuroendocrine system, which controls and regulates many of the body's functions. Endocrine glands are ductless gland ...

s as their target. Most tropic hormones are produced and secreted by the anterior pituitary. The

hypothalamus The hypothalamus (: hypothalami; ) is a small part of the vertebrate brain that contains a number of nucleus (neuroanatomy), nuclei with a variety of functions. One of the most important functions is to link the nervous system to the endocrin ...

secretes tropic hormones that target the anterior pituitary, and the

thyroid gland The thyroid, or thyroid gland, is an endocrine gland in vertebrates. In humans, it is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck below the Adam's apple. It consists of two connected lobes. The lower two thirds of the lobes are connected by ...

secretes thyroxine, which targets the

and therefore can be considered a tropic hormone. The term '' tropic'' is from

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...

τροπικός (''tropikós''), in the sense "of or pertaining to a turn or change", meaning "causing a change, affecting"; this is the same origin as '' tropic'' and '' trope.'' This should not be confused with '' trophic,'' as in similar-sounding trophic hormone – the words and concepts are both unrelated. Tropic hormones are contrasted with non-tropic hormones, which directly stimulate target cells.

Examples

Anterior pituitary

Tropic hormones from the anterior pituitary include: * Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH or thyrotropin) – stimulates the

to make and release thyroid hormone. * Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH or corticotropin) – stimulates the adrenal cortex to release

glucocorticoid Glucocorticoids (or, less commonly, glucocorticosteroids) are a class of corticosteroids, which are a class of steroid hormones. Glucocorticoids are corticosteroids that bind to the glucocorticoid receptor that is present in almost every vertebra ...

s. * Luteinizing hormone (LH) – stimulates the release of steroid hormones in

gonad A gonad, sex gland, or reproductive gland is a Heterocrine gland, mixed gland and sex organ that produces the gametes and sex hormones of an organism. Female reproductive cells are egg cells, and male reproductive cells are sperm. The male gon ...

s—the

ovary The ovary () is a gonad in the female reproductive system that produces ova; when released, an ovum travels through the fallopian tube/ oviduct into the uterus. There is an ovary on the left and the right side of the body. The ovaries are end ...

and testes. * Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) – stimulates the maturation of eggs and production of sperm.

Hypothalamus

In turn, the

controls the release of hormones from the anterior pituitary by secreting a class of hypothalamic neurohormones called releasing and release-inhibiting hormones—which are released to the hypothalamo-hypophyseal portal system and act on the anterior pituitary.

References

{{Hormones Anterior pituitary hormones

Examples

Anterior pituitary

Hypothalamus

See also

References