oxytocin

oxytocin definition - medical

ox·y·to·cin (ŏkˌsĭ-tōˈsĭn)

noun
A short polypeptide hormone that is released from the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland, stimulates the contraction of smooth muscle of the uterus during labor, and facilitates release of milk from the breast during nursing.

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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