Human growth hormone (HGH), also known as somatotropin, is the hormone primarily called the "growth hormone." It's a crucial peptide hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland. As its name suggests, its primary function is regulating growth during childhood. However, it also plays various roles in metabolism throughout life.
Understanding Human Growth Hormone (HGH)
- Production: HGH is synthesized and released by specialized cells within the anterior pituitary gland.
- Function: The primary role of HGH is to stimulate growth, particularly in bones and other tissues during childhood and adolescence. It influences cell reproduction and regeneration.
- Mechanism: HGH doesn't directly stimulate growth. Instead, it triggers the liver and other tissues to produce insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which directly promotes growth.
- Conditions related to HGH imbalances:
- Growth hormone deficiency: Insufficient HGH production leads to stunted growth in children.
- Acromegaly: Excess HGH production, often due to a pituitary tumor, results in excessive bone growth and other characteristic features in adults.
While the term "growth hormone" commonly refers to HGH, it's important to note that growth is a complex process involving numerous other hormones and factors. Plants also have their own growth hormones (e.g., auxins, cytokinins). In animals, other hormones contribute to growth, although HGH plays a central role.
For example, the Mayo Clinic notes that acromegaly is caused by an excess of growth hormone, often from a pituitary tumor. This highlights the importance of HGH in growth regulation. Further, references indicate that growth hormone tests and IGF-1 tests (a related hormone) are used to diagnose growth disorders.
