🥸intro to psychology review

key term - Growth Hormone

Definition

Growth hormone (GH), also known as somatotropin, is a peptide hormone produced and secreted by the anterior pituitary gland. It plays a crucial role in regulating growth, development, and various metabolic processes within the body.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

  1. Growth hormone is essential for normal growth and development during childhood and adolescence, promoting the growth of bones and muscles.
  2. GH secretion is regulated by the hypothalamus, which produces growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and growth hormone-inhibiting hormone (GHIH, or somatostatin).
  3. GH stimulates the liver to produce insulin-like growth factors (IGF-1 and IGF-2), which are the primary mediators of GH's effects on growth and metabolism.
  4. Growth hormone deficiency in children can lead to short stature, delayed puberty, and other developmental issues, while excess GH can cause acromegaly in adults.
  5. The effects of GH on the body include increased protein synthesis, lipolysis (fat breakdown), and gluconeogenesis (glucose production), as well as enhanced calcium retention and bone mineralization.

Review Questions

  • Explain the role of growth hormone in regulating growth and development.
    • Growth hormone plays a crucial role in regulating growth and development throughout the lifespan. During childhood and adolescence, GH stimulates the growth of bones and muscles, promoting linear growth and the attainment of adult height. GH also influences the production of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), which mediate many of the growth-promoting effects of GH at the cellular level. Adequate GH secretion is essential for normal growth and development, while deficiencies or excess can lead to various hormonal and developmental disorders.
  • Describe the regulation of growth hormone production and secretion.
    • The production and secretion of growth hormone is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-somatotropic axis. The hypothalamus secretes growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), which stimulates the anterior pituitary gland to produce and release GH. Conversely, the hypothalamus also produces growth hormone-inhibiting hormone (GHIH, or somatostatin), which suppresses GH secretion. This delicate balance between GHRH and GHIH, along with feedback from circulating IGFs, ensures the appropriate regulation of GH levels to maintain normal growth and metabolic processes.
  • Analyze the physiological effects of growth hormone on the body's metabolism and body composition.
    • Growth hormone has a wide range of metabolic effects on the body. GH stimulates protein synthesis, leading to increased muscle growth and development. It also promotes lipolysis, or the breakdown of fat, and gluconeogenesis, the production of glucose from non-carbohydrate sources. These metabolic effects of GH contribute to the maintenance of a healthy body composition, with increased lean muscle mass and decreased fat mass. Additionally, GH enhances calcium retention and bone mineralization, supporting the development and maintenance of a strong skeletal system. The complex interplay between GH and its target tissues, as well as the regulation of GH secretion, is crucial for overall metabolic homeostasis and physical development.