Biochemistry
Secretagogue
A secretagogue is a substance that triggers a cell or gland to release, or secrete, another substance.
A secretagogue is any substance that causes a cell or gland to secrete something — the term describes a function, not a specific chemical family. It comes from “secrete” plus the suffix “-agogue,” meaning to lead or induce, so a secretagogue is literally something that induces secretion.
How a secretagogue works
Most secretagogues act as a receptor agonist: they bind a receptor on the target cell’s surface, and that binding triggers the cell to release its stored contents. The secretagogue itself doesn’t have to be the same type of molecule as whatever gets secreted — it’s simply the trigger.
Growth-hormone secretagogues
One well-known category is the growth-hormone secretagogue: a substance that prompts the pituitary gland’s somatotroph cells to release growth hormone. GHRH is the body’s natural growth-hormone secretagogue, binding a receptor on those pituitary cells to signal release. Lab-made peptides modeled on GHRH’s structure are also described as growth-hormone secretagogues, because they act on the same signaling pathway.
Secretagogues elsewhere in the body
The term applies well beyond growth hormone. Gastrin, for example, is a secretagogue for stomach acid — it signals stomach cells to secrete acid. Any time one substance’s role is to prompt another cell to release something, “secretagogue” is the accurate label for it.
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Common questions
What does "secretagogue" literally mean?
The word combines "secrete" with the suffix "-agogue," meaning "leading" or "inducing." Put together, it describes something that induces secretion.
Is a secretagogue the same as a hormone?
Not necessarily. Many secretagogues are hormones or hormone-like peptides, but the term describes a function — triggering secretion — rather than a specific class of molecule.
What is a growth-hormone secretagogue?
A substance described this way signals the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. GHRH and GHRH analogs are examples of molecules that act on this specific pathway.
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