Tropic hormone

Tropic hormones are hormones that have other endocrine glands as their target. Most tropic hormones are produced and secreted by the anterior pituitary. The hypothalamus secretes tropic hormones that target the anterior pituitary, and the thyroid gland secretes thyroxine, which targets the hypothalamus and therefore can be considered a tropic hormone.

The term is from Ancient Greek (tropikós), in the sense "of or pertaining to a turn or change", meaning "causing a change, affecting"; this is the same origin as . This should not be confused with , as in similar-sounding trophic hormone – the words and concepts are both unrelated. Tropic hormones are contrasted with non-tropic hormones, which directly stimulate target cells.