Gastrin

/ˈɡæstrɪn/ noun

Definition

A hormone produced by the stomach that stimulates the production of stomach acid and helps regulate digestion.

Etymology

From Greek 'gastro-' (stomach) combined with the chemical suffix '-in' (used for hormones and proteins). Gastrin was discovered and named in the early 20th century.

Kelly Says

Gastrin was one of the first hormones discovered—before we knew about hormones at all, scientists noticed that stomach acid increased mysteriously; they eventually found it was this chemical messenger, revolutionizing our understanding of how the body communicates!

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