The Influence of Growth Hormone on Bone and Adipose Programming

Conference paper
First Online:
Part of the Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology book series (AEMB, volume 814)

Abstract

In utero growth hormone exposure is associated with distinct immediate growth responses and long term impacts on adult physiological parameters that include obesity, insulin resistance, and bone function. Growth hormone accelerates cellular proliferation in many tissues but is exemplified by increases in the number of cells within the cartilaginous growth plate of bone. In some cases growth hormone also potentiates differentiation as seen in the differentiation of adipocytes that rapidly fill upon withdrawal of growth hormone. Growth hormone provokes these changes either by direct action or through intermediaries such as insulin-like growth factor-I and other downstream effector molecules. The specific mechanism used by growth hormone in programming tissues is not yet fully characterized and likely represents a multipronged approach involving DNA modification, altered adult hormonal milieu, and the development of an augmented stem cell pool capable of future engagement as is seen in adipose accrual. This review summarizes findings of growth hormone’s influence on in utero and neonatal cellular and metabolic profiles related to bone and adipose tissue.

Keywords

Growth hormone Adipose tissue Insulin-like growth factor Bone growth Small-for-gestational age 
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of Animal ScienceUniversity of CaliforniaDavisUSA

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