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growth hormone

File:Somatotropine.GIF · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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growth hormone

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Also known as IPR034975, GH, somatropin, growth hormones

peptide hormones that stimulate growth, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration

AI overview

Growth hormone is a chemical messenger in your body that tells your cells to grow, multiply, and repair themselves. It matters because without it, your body wouldn't be able to develop properly or maintain healthy tissues throughout your life.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Research

156,470 papers

via PubMed

Wikidata facts

Instance of
protein family
Subclass of
hormone
Image
Somatotropine.GIF
Show 5 more facts
found in taxon
Vertebrata
topic's main category
Category:Growth hormones
Commons category
Growth hormones
MCN code
3003.39.11
Sources (7)

via Wikidata · CC0

~26 min read

Encyclopedic overview

Growth hormone (GH) or somatotropin, also known as human growth hormone (hGH or HGH) in its human form, is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration in humans and other animals. It is thus important in human development. GH also stimulates production of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and increases the concentration of glucose and free fatty acid. It is a type of mitogen which is specific only to the receptors on certain types of cells. GH is a 191-amino acid, single-chain polypeptide that is synthesized, stored and secreted by somatotropic cells within the lateral wings of the anterior pituitary gland.

A recombinant form of HGH called somatropin (INN) is used as a prescription drug to treat children's growth disorders and adult growth hormone deficiency. In the United States, it is only available legally from pharmacies by prescription from a licensed health care provider. In recent years in the United States, some health care providers are prescribing growth hormone in the elderly to increase vitality. While legal, the efficacy and safety of this use for HGH has not been tested in a clinical trial. Many of the functions of HGH remain unknown.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “growth hormone” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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