releasing factor

Noun

• any of several hormones produced in the hypothalamus and carried by a vein to the anterior pituitary gland where they stimulate the release of anterior pituitary hormones; each of these hormones causes the anterior pituitary to secrete a specific hormone

• a substance produced by the hypothalamus that is capable of accelerating the secretion of a given hormone by the anterior pituitary gland

Related words

• Synonyms: 
  releasing hormone , RH , hypothalamic releasing hormone , hypothalamic releasing factor , RF