oxitocin
Oxytocin, sometimes rendered as oxitocin in some languages, is a peptide hormone and neuropeptide produced in the hypothalamus and released from the posterior pituitary into the bloodstream. It is a nine‑amino‑acid (nonapeptide) molecule featuring a disulfide bond that links two cysteine residues, a structure conserved across mammals. Oxytocin is also produced within certain brain neurons, where it can act as a central neurotransmitter.
In the body, oxytocin is released in response to physiological stimuli such as uterine stretch, cervical stimulation,
Key physiological roles include promoting uterine contractions during labor and facilitating milk ejection (let‑down) during breastfeeding
Clinical use of oxytocin involves synthetic forms used to induce or augment labor and to control postpartum
Historically, oxytocin was isolated and its sequence determined in the mid‑20th century, with full chemical synthesis