Growth Hormone and Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone Stevie
Growth Hormone Protein hormone made of ~ 190 amino acids Made in Anterior Pituitary by somatotroph cells
Direct Effects of GH Binds to adipocytes and causes them to break down triglycerides and prevents them from accumulating fat in the blood Releases insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)
Indirect Effects of GH Stimulates: – Cartilage cells (chrondrocytes) growth – Myoblasts growth and differentiation – Amino Acid uptake – Protein synthesis
Other Effects Keeps blood glucose at healthy levels Prevents insulin from absorbing glucose in tissue Causes creation of glucose in the liver In mature cows, it stimulates lactation
GH Secretion Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone: causes production and release of GH Somatostatin: inhibits release of GH Grehlin: secreted from stomach, binds to somatotrophs and causes secretion of GH
Negative Feedback Loop If blood levels of IGF-1 are too high, somatotrophs are suppressed and somatostatin is released GH also circles back to hypothalamus and inhibits release Scientists believe GH has an autocrine effect on somatostatin This leads to GH inhibition
Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone Increases milk production by 10-15% Regulates efficiency of feed conversion to milk rBGH mimics the effects of growth hormone Growth Hormone is a naturally occurring hormone produced in the anterior pituitary
How rBGH works Created using recombinant DNA technology The gene sequence for this hormone is injected into e. coli E. coli then produces GH This is purified and injected into dairy cows Broken down once it enters digestive system Called Posilac
How rBGH works Cows lactate 305 days after calving, but their peak in lactation is between days Farmers administer rBGH just before peak lactation rBGH prevents mammary cell death – Fat is broken down and sent to mammary cells
References "Bovine Somatotropin." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 09 Jan Web. 14 Sept Bowen, R. "Growth Hormone." Growth Hormone. Colorado State, 24 Dec Web. 14 Sept