growth hormone

(noun)

any polypeptide hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that promotes growth and regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids

Related Terms

Examples of growth hormone in the following topics:

  • Hormonal Regulation of Growth

    • Body growth is controlled by growth hormone (GH), produced by the anterior pituitary, and IGF-1, whose production is stimulated by GH.
    • Hormonal regulation is required for the growth and replication of most cells in the body.
    • GH release is stimulated by growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and is inhibited by growth hormone-inhibiting hormone (GHIH), also called somatostatin.
    • A balanced production of growth hormone is critical for proper development.
    • Oversecretion of growth hormone can lead to gigantism in children, causing excessive growth.

  • Lipid-Derived, Amino Acid-Derived, and Peptide Hormones

    • All hormones in the human body can be divided into lipid-derived, amino acid-derived, and peptide hormones.
    • The primary class of lipid hormones in humans is the steroid hormones.
    • Examples of steroid hormones include estradiol, which is an estrogen, or female sex hormone, and testosterone, which is an androgen, or male sex hormone.
    • This class also includes small proteins, such as growth hormones produced by the pituitary, and large glycoproteins, such as follicle-stimulating hormone produced by the pituitary .
    • The structures of peptide hormones (a) oxytocin, (b) growth hormone, and (c) follicle-stimulating hormone are shown.

  • Production of Vaccines, Antibiotics, and Hormones

    • Biotechnological advances in gene manipulation techniques have further resulted in the production of vaccines, antibiotics, and hormones.
    • Antibiotics are biotechnological products that inhibit bacterial growth or kill bacteria.
    • In recent times, human growth hormone (HGH) has been used to treat growth disorders in children.
    • The bacteria was then grown and the hormone isolated, enabling large scale commercial production.
    • Discuss the methods by which biotechnology is used to produce vaccines, antibiotics, and hormones.

  • Hormone Functions

    • The endocrine system plays a role in growth, metabolism, and other processes by releasing hormones into the blood.
    • An animal's endocrine system controls body processes through the production, secretion, and regulation of hormones.
    • Target cells, those having a receptor for a signal, respond to a hormone when they express a specific receptor for that hormone.
    • Different tissue types may also respond differently to the same hormonal signal.
    • By releasing hormones, the endocrine system plays a role in growth, metabolism, and sexual development.

  • Abscisic Acid, Ethylene, and Nontraditional Hormones

    • All physiological aspects of plants are affected by plant hormones, including abscisic acid, ethylene, and nontraditional hormones.
    • In addition to the growth hormones auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins, there are two more major types of plant hormones, abscisic acid and ethylene, as well as several other less-studied compounds that control plant physiology.
    • Its activity counters many of the growth-promoting effects of GAs and auxins.
    • Root growth and fruit dropping are inhibited by steroids.
    • The plant hormone ethylene promotes ripening, as seen in the ripening of dates.

  • Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis

    • The system releases hormones that act on target cells to regulate development, growth, energy metabolism, reproduction, and many behaviors.
    • The anterior pituitary produces seven hormones: growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), melanin-stimulating hormone (MSH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH).
    • Anterior pituitary hormones are sometimes referred to as tropic hormones because they control the functioning of other organs.
    • These regulatory hormones can be releasing hormones or inhibiting hormones, causing more or less of the anterior pituitary hormones to be secreted.
    • Negative feedback then regulates how much of these regulatory hormones are released and how much anterior pituitary hormone is secreted.

  • Auxins, Cytokinins, and Gibberellins

    • In addition, other nutrients and environmental conditions can be characterized as growth factors.
    • The first three plant hormones largely affect plant growth, as described below.
    • IAA is used as a rooting hormone to promote growth of adventitious roots on cuttings and detached leaves.
    • The stimulating growth factor was found to be cytokinin, a hormone that promotes cytokinesis (cell division).
    • Differentiate among the types of plant hormones and their effects on plant growth

  • Male Hormones

    • Puberty is a period of several years in which rapid physical growth and psychological changes occur, culminating in sexual maturity.
    • These changes are largely influenced by hormonal activity.
    • Hormones play an organizational role, priming the body to behave in a certain way once puberty begins, and an activational role, referring to changes in hormones during adolescence that trigger behavioral and physical changes.
    • In response, the pituitary gland releases follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) into the male system for the first time.
    • Secondary sex characteristics include a deepening of the voice, the growth of facial, axillary, and pubic hair, and the beginnings of the sex drive.

  • Hormonal Regulation of the Reproductive System

    • During puberty, in both males and females, the hypothalamus produces gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which stimulates the production and release of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) from the anterior pituitary gland.
    • It is also called interstitial-cell-stimulating hormone.
    • Prolactin levels are regulated by the hypothalamic hormones, prolactin-releasing hormone (PRH) and prolactin-inhibiting hormone (PIH) (which is now known to be dopamine).
    • Hormonal regulation of the female reproductive system involves hormones from the hypothalamus, pituitary, and ovaries.
    • GnRH secreted by the hypothalamus stimulates the release of FSH, which stimulates the growth of egg cells, and LH, which signals for the the ovulation of an egg from its follicle.

  • Female Hormones

    • As with the male, the hypothalamic hormone GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone) causes the release of the hormones FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone) from the anterior pituitary.
    • Follicle cells produce the hormone inhibin, which inhibits FSH production.
    • Estradiol and progesterone are steroid hormones that prepare the body for pregnancy.
    • Progesterone assists in endometrial re-growth and inhibition of FSH and LH release .
    • Slowly-rising levels of FSH and LH cause the growth of follicles on the surface of the ovary, which prepares the egg for ovulation.