Meanings
- uncountablebiologyA juvenile hormone, present in insects, which ensures growth of the larva while preventing metamorphosis.
Neotenin, also known as the juvenile hormone, is secreted by the corpora allata.
1974, Dennis William Wood, Principles of Animal Physiology, page 3182 more examples
Moreover, as we shall see, evidence has accumulated to show that this hormone brings about suppression of adult characters by favouring the differentiation of larval characters. It has therefore been called fore preference the 'juvenile hormone'. If a Greek term is preferred it might be called 'neotenin'.
1954, F. W. Wrigglesworth, The Physiology of Insect Metamorphosis“Bound” neotenin should be readily “given up” to “acceptor” molecules, but the authors found evidence that it was to a considerable degree protected from attack by neotenin-specific esterases in the haemolymph; it was surmised that such proteins might play an important part in regulating the action of the hormone.
2013, R. A. Crowson, The Biology of the Coleoptera, page 201
Origin
Cite this entry
neotenin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/neotenin
“neotenin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/neotenin. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “neotenin,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/neotenin.
Source: neotenin on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.