What does folliculin mean?
Folliculin is a historical scientific name for estrone, a steroid hormone and one of the estrogens. Estrone is produced by the ovaries and is involved in the development of female secondary sex characteristics and in the menstrual cycle. Older literature often used folliculin when discussing estrogenic substances associated with ovarian follicles, and the term can still appear in historical medical and biochemical writing. In contemporary use, estrone is clearer and more standard, and folliculin should not be treated as a general term for every estrogen. The word is chiefly notable as evidence of the development of endocrine terminology: it joins follicle, ultimately from Latin folliculus, a diminutive meaning small bag, with the biochemical ending -in. Although uncommon in ordinary speech, it is useful when reading older scientific texts or tracing the history of reproductive endocrinology.
nounA historical scientific name for estrone, a steroid hormone belonging to the estrogen group.
- A historical name for estrone, an estrogenic steroid hormone associated with ovarian function and the development of female secondary sex characteristics.
"The laboratory identified the compound as folliculin, the hormone now known as estrone."
"The laboratory identified the compound as folliculin, the hormone now known as estrone."
"Early investigators found that folliculin had estrogenic activity."
Rarely used, because folliculin is normally treated as a mass noun in scientific writing.
"These folliculins produced similar responses in the assay."
Before estrone became the standard name, it was often called folliculin.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does folliculin come from?
Folliculin was formed in scientific usage from follicle and the biochemical suffix -in. The English word follicle comes from Latin folliculus, a diminutive of follis, meaning bag; the same root appears in follicular and folliculitis. The ending -in follows a wider convention in the naming of chemical substances and hormones.
How folliculin is actually used
This is primarily a historical scientific term encountered in older medical and biochemical literature. In modern usage, estrone is preferred, and folliculin should not be used as a general synonym for all estrogens.