II. Physiology

  1. ACTH is a polypeptide synthesized and secreted by Basophil cells in the anterior pituitary
    1. Stimulation (releasing factors)
      1. Corticotropin Releasing Hormone (CRH, from Hypothalamus)
      2. Emotional or physical stress
        1. Sympathetic response to stress triggers hypothalamic release of CRH
    2. Inhibition by negative feedback loops
      1. Cortisol inhibits CRH release from Hypothalamus
      2. Cortisol inhibits ACTH release from pituitary
  2. Components
    1. Polypetide of 39 Amino Acids, encoded by the POMC gene in humans
  3. ACTH Effects (Adrenal Cortex stimulation)
    1. Cortisol release (Glucocorticoid, primary function)
    2. Other, less potent effects
      1. Aldosterone release (mineralcorticoid)
      2. Androgenic steroid release

III. Pathophysiology

IV. References

  1. Goldberg (2014) Clinical Physiology, Medmaster, Miami, p. 132-46

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Related Studies

Ontology: Corticotropin (C0001655)

Definition (NCI_NCI-GLOSS) A hormone made in the pituitary gland. ACTH acts on the outer part of the adrenal gland to control its release of corticosteroid hormones. More ACTH is made during times of stress.
Definition (NCI) A hormone secreted by the anterior portion of the pituitary gland and regulates hormone, primarily cortisol, secreted by the adrenal gland.
Definition (CSP) pituitary hormone that stimulates the secretion of adrenal cortical steroids and induces growth of the adrenal cortex.
Definition (MSH) An anterior pituitary hormone that stimulates the ADRENAL CORTEX and its production of CORTICOSTEROIDS. ACTH is a 39-amino acid polypeptide of which the N-terminal 24-amino acid segment is identical in all species and contains the adrenocorticotrophic activity. Upon further tissue-specific processing, ACTH can yield ALPHA-MSH and corticotrophin-like intermediate lobe peptide (CLIP).
Concepts Neuroreactive Substance or Biogenic Amine (T124) , Hormone (T125) , Amino Acid, Peptide, or Protein (T116) , Pharmacologic Substance (T121)
MSH D000324
SnomedCT 325767000, 40789008, 111153005
LNC LP14656-0, LP32529-7, MTHU003098
English 1-39 ACTH, ACTH, ACTH (1-39), Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone, Adrenocorticotropin, Corticotrophin, Corticotrophin (1-39), Corticotropin, Corticotropin (1-39), Hormone, Adrenocorticotrophic, Hormone, Adrenocorticotropic, corticotropin, Corticotrophins, ACTH-Adrenocorticotrophic horm, Adrenocorticotropic Hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, ACTH adrenocorticotropic hormone (discontinued), adrenocorticotropic hormone (discontinued), adrenocorticotropic peptide, adrenotrophin, adrenotropic hormone, adrenotropin, adrenocorticotropic hormone (medication), adrenocorticotropic hormone (discontinued) (medication), corticotropin, repository, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), Adrenocorticotropic Hormone [Chemical/Ingredient], corticotrophin, corticotrophins, adrenocorticotropin, acth hormone, corticotropins, adrenocorticotrophic hormone, CORTICOTROPIN, Corticotrophins (product), Corticotropins, ACTH preparation, Adrenocorticotropic hormone, Adrenocorticotropic hormone preparation, Corticotrophic hormone, Corticotropin preparation, ACTH - Adrenocorticotrophic hormone, Adrenocorticotrophic hormone, Corticotropin preparation (product), Adrenocorticotropic hormone (substance), CCTROP, Corticotrophins (substance), Corticotropin preparation (substance), Corticotropic hormone, ACTH (Hormone)
Portuguese Hormônio Adrenocorticotrópico, Corticotropina, ACTH, Adrenocorticotropina
Spanish Corticotropina, Hormona Adrenocorticotrópica, preparado de corticotrofina (producto), corticotrofina (producto), corticotrofina, preparado de corticotrofina, adrenocorticotrofina, corticotropinas, corticotrofinas, corticotrofinas (producto), adrenocorticotrofina (sustancia), adrenocorticotropina, corticotrofinas (sustancia), corticotropina, hormona adrenocorticotropa, preparado de ACTH, preparado de adrenocorticotrofina, preparado de adrenocorticotropina, preparado de corticotrofina (sustancia), preparado de hormona adrenocorticotropa, ACTH, Adrenocorticotropina
Russian КОРТИКОТРОПИН, АДРЕНОКОРТИКОТРОПНЫЙ ГОРМОН, AKTG, KORTIKOSTIMULIN, KORTIKOTROPIN, ADRENOKORTIKOTROPNYI GORMON, ADRENOKORTIKOTROPIN, АДРЕНОКОРТИКОТРОПИН, АКТГ, КОРТИКОСТИМУЛИН
Italian Corticotropina, Ormone adrenocorticotropico, ACTH 1-39, Corticotropina (1-39), ACTH
German ACTH (1-39), Corticotrophin, Kortikotrophin, Adrenokortikotropin, Corticotrophin (1-39), Adrenokortikotropes Hormon, Kortikotropin, Kortikotrophin (1-39), ACTH, Adrenocorticotropes Hormon, Adrenocorticotropin, Corticotropin
French Corticostimuline, Hormone adrénocorticotrophique, ACTH (1-39), ACTH, Hormone adrénocorticotrope, Hormone corticotrope, Adrénocorticotropine, Corticotropine, Corticotropine (1-39), Corticotrophine (1-39), Adrénocorticotrophine, Corticotrophine
Swedish Adrenokortikotropiskt hormon
Czech ACTH, adrenokortikotropní hormon, ACTH (1-39), kortikotropin, kortikotropin (1-39)
Finnish Kortikotropiini
Japanese アドレノコルチコトロピン, コルチコトロピン, 副腎皮質刺激ホルモン
Croatian KORTIKOTROPIN
Polish Hormon adrenokortykotropowy, ACTH, Adrenokortykotropina, Kortykotropina
Norwegian Adrenokortikotropt hormon, Kortikotropin, ACTH

Ontology: Serum ACTH measurement (C0428393)

Concepts Laboratory Procedure (T059)
SnomedCT 271536006, 166480007, 269983004, 143807001
English Serum adrenocorticotropic hormone measurement, Measurement of serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (procedure), Serum ACTH measurement (procedure), Measurement of serum adrenocorticotropic hormone, Serum ACTH (& level), Serum ACTH (& level) (procedure), Serum ACTH level, Serum ACTH measurement
Spanish nivel sérico de adrenocorticotrofina, medición sérica de ACTH (procedimiento), medición sérica de adrenocorticotrofina, determinación de nivel sérico de adrenocorticotropina, determinación de nivel sérico de adrenocorticotrofina, nivel sérico de ACTH, determinación de nivel sérico de hormona adrenocorticotropa, medición sérica de ACTH, determinación de nivel sérico de hormona adrenocorticotropa (procedimiento), medición del nivel de ACTH en suero, medición del nivel de adrenocorticotrofina en suero, medición del nivel de adrenocorticotrofina en suero (procedimiento), determinación de nivel sérico de ACTH