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thoracotropic hormone
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thoracotropic hormone

biochemistry
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Also known as: brain hormone, ecdysiotropic hormone, ecdysiotropin, prothoracotropin
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Article History
Also called:
ecdysiotropic hormone, or prothoracotropin

thoracotropic hormone, neurohormone secreted in arthropods. After being released by neurosecretory cells of the brain, the thoracotropic hormone is carried by the blood to the prothoracic glands, where it stimulates the release of ecdysone in insects or crustecdysone in crustaceans, steroid hormones that initiate molting (the periodic shedding of the outer skeleton). See also juvenile hormone.