melatonin

melatonin definition - medical

mel·a·to·nin (mĕlˌə-tōˈnĭn)

noun
A hormone derived from serotonin and produced by the pineal gland that stimulates color change in the epidermis of amphibians and reptiles and that is believed to influence estrus in mammals.

The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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