What is "stanniocalcin"

n. (context biochemistry English) a polypeptide hormone that acts in kidney and gut to regulate calcium and phosphate

Stanniocalcin (originally named hypocalcin or teleocalcin or parathyrin) is a family of hormones which regulate calcium and phosphate balance in the body. The first stanniocanlcin discovered was from fish and was identified as the principal calcium reducing ( hypocalcaemic) factor. It was isolated from the special organ of fish called corpuscles of Stannius, hence, the name stanniocalcin. Chemically stanniocalcins are glycosylated proteins (i.e. proteins containing carbohydrate, or glycoproteins) having a molecular mass of 50 kDa. They exist in molecular pairs ( homodimers) and are joined together by disulfide linkage. They are made up of about 250 amino acids.