Trophic hormone

Not to be confused with Tropic hormone.

Trophic hormone is a hormone that has a growth effect, hyperplasia or hypertrophy, on the tissue it is stimulating. The term trophic is from Ancient Greek τροφικός (trophikós) meaning "pertaining to food or nourishment", here used to mean "growth"; this is the same origin as atrophy. This should not be confused with tropic, as in the similar-sounding tropic hormone – the words and concepts are both unrelated.

A key example of this is thyroid-stimulating hormone stimulating the thyroid; excess thyroid-stimulating hormone can create a goitre.

Trophic hormones from the anterior pituitary include:

• Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH or thyrotropin) – stimulates the thyroid gland increasing the size and number of cells.
• Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH or corticotropin) – stimulates the adrenal cortex increasing the size and number of cells.

See also

• Endocrine system
• Tropic hormone
• Non-tropic hormone