What is "secretagogue"

n. A substance (such as a hormone) that stimulates secretion.

A secretagogue is a substance that causes another substance to be secreted. One example is gastrin, which stimulates the H/K ATPase in the parietal cells (increased gastric acid production by the stomach). Pentagastrin, a synthetic gastrin, histamine, and acetylcholine are also gastric secretagogues.

Sulfonylureas are insulin secretagogues, triggering insulin release by direct action on the K channel of the pancreatic beta cells. Blockage of this channel leads to depolarization and secretion of vesicles.

Angiotensin II is a secretagogue for aldosterone from the adrenal gland.