(stim″yŭ-lāt′ŏr)

Someone or something that stimulates.

B lymphocyte stimulator

A cytokine that is related to tumor necrosis factor, is released by dendritic cells, and regulates the maturation of B cells.
SYN: SEE: B cell activating factor

long-acting thyroid stimulator

ABBR: LATS An IgG autoantibody that binds to the thyroid-stimulating hormoneceptor, stimulating the excessive production of thyroid hormones and causing hyperthyroidism. LATS is found in the blood of about 75% of patients with Graves disease but is used rarely for diagnostic purposes, because the diagnosis usually can be established on clinical grounds, i.e., on finding a patient with hyperthyroidism with a diffuse, nontender goiter, exophthalmos, and/or pretibial myxedema.
SYN: SEE: thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin; SEE: TSH-receptor antibody