somatomedin

American

[suh-mat-uh-meed-n, soh-muh-tuh-] / səˌmæt əˈmid n, ˌsoʊ mə tə- /

noun

Biochemistry.

any of various liver hormones that enhance the activity of a variety of other hormones, as somatotropin.

somatomedin British

/ ˌsəʊmətəˈmiːdɪn /

noun

a protein hormone that promotes tissue growth under the influence of growth hormone

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

somatomedin Scientific

/ sō-măt′ə-mēd′n,sō′mə-tə- /

Any of several peptides that are synthesized in the liver and other tissues and are capable of stimulating growth processes, especially in bone, cartilage, and muscle. Somatomedins are secreted and activated in response to growth hormone. Somatomedin levels rise progressively during childhood, peak at puberty, and then stabilize at lower levels in adulthood. Somatomedins influence calcium, phosphate, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism and have also been associated with the growth of certain cancers.
Also called insulinlike growth factor

Etymology

Origin of somatomedin

1970–75; somato- or somato(tropin) + -med-, as in intermediary + -in ²

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023