| corticotropic hormone | The hormone of the anterior lobe of the hypophysis which governs the nutrition and growth of the adrenal cortex, stimulates it to functional activity, and also possesses extraadrenal adipokinetic activity; it is a polypeptide containing 39 amino acids, but exact structure varies from one species to another; sometimes prefixed by a to distinguish it from beta-corticotropin. The first thirteen amino acids at the N-terminal region are identical to alpha-melanotropin. Synonym: adrenocorticotropin, adrenotropic hormone, adrenotropin, corticotropic hormone, corticotropin. (05 Mar 2000) |
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