The Anabolic Effects of Pituitary Growth Hormone

Abstract

During the past 10 years many of the details of the molecular mechanism involved in the process of protein synthesis and its control have been revealed. This advance in our understanding of the fundamental process which underwrites the growth of cells has made possible an extensive study of the mechanism of the anabolic action of pituitary growth hormone. The following will be a brief review of our present understanding of the sequence of events which occurs when target cells interact with growth hormone. In the main, the review will deal primarily with the action of growth hormone on skeletal muscle. It should be noted, however, that much recent work has been devoted to defining the mechanism of action of growth hormone on the liver. In instances where comparisons can be made, there appears to be a basic similarity in the mode of action of the hormone on both types of tissue.