Abstract
Brain growth appears to be regulated by a growth hormone dependent growth factor called BGA (brain growth-promoting activity). A family of growth hormone dependent growth-promoting polypeptides has recently been isolated from serum. These hormones, the somatomedins, are believed to develop from a common embryonic form to the slightly different polypeptides found in the adult circulation. BGA appears to be the embryonic somatomedin and, until its isolation is complete, one of the adult forms, somatomedin A (SMA), has been used. SMA has a direct growth-promoting action on cultured fetal brain cells. Specific SMA binding sites are found in both human and rat brain. In the human fetus, there is an increase in specific SMA binding to brain plasma membranes during the rapid growth phase. In the rat, the concentration of SMA binding sites is increased in the growing fetal brain. Animal studies reveal a significant relationship between circulating levels of BGA and brain growth in vivo. The presence of specific SMA binding sites on mature brain tissue indicates a role in adult brain function. Significant amounts of BGA are found in cerebrospinal fluid. Administration of SMA to hypophysectomized rats stimulates labelled amino acid uptake into brain protein. Such findings led to the proposal that BGA is the growth and maintenance hormone for the brain.
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Sara, V.R., Hall, K., Wetterberg, L. (1980). Growth hormone dependent polypeptides and the brain. In: Hormones and the Brain. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-8709-8_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-8709-8_6
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
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