Endocrinology, Vol 114, 299-301, Copyright © 1984 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Human pancreatic growth hormone releasing factor (hpGRF-1-40) stimulates GH release in the ovine fetus

E Ohmura, A Jansen, V Chernick, J Winter, HG Friesen, J Rivier and W Vale

The effects of growth hormone-releasing factor, hpGRF (1-40), on plasma GH levels were studied in chronically catheterized ovine fetuses between 71 to 134 days of gestation. The basal ovine (o) GH levels in the fetus ranged between 41 - 144 ng/ml, while values in the ewe were often less than 6 ng/ml. hpGRF (1-40), 5 micrograms/kg infused into a fetal vein, markedly stimulated GH release in all nine fetuses. The maximum increase above pretreatment levels (net increases) ranged from 65 ng/ml to 498 ng/ml, with a mean net increase of 229 ng/ml. The responses of oGH in fetuses at younger gestational age appeared to be greater than in older fetuses. Mean plasma oPRL did not change after hpGRF infusion. These results indicate that somatotrophs in fetal sheep in mid- and late gestation have receptors for GRF, and GH secretion may be modulated by GRF at this stage of gestation.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. M. Lasko, A. I. Korytko, W. B. Wehrenberg, and L. Cuttler Differential GH-releasing hormone regulation of GHRH receptor mRNA expression in the rat pituitary Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, April 1, 2001; 280(4): E626 - E631. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]