Final answer:
Growth hormone (GH) is an anabolic hormone from the anterior pituitary gland that stimulates body growth and has direct and indirect effects on energy metabolism and tissue building. Regulation of GH involves GHRH and GHIH from the hypothalamus. GH action is mediated by IGFs and affects protein synthesis, lipolysis, and blood glucose levels.
Step-by-step explanation:
Growth hormone (GH), also known as somatotropin or STH, is a crucial hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland involved in various growth processes within the human body.
Its primary function is anabolic, meaning that it promotes protein synthesis and tissue building, impacting body growth.
The secretion of GH is tightly regulated by Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and Growth hormone-inhibiting hormone (GHIH), also known as somatostatin, both of which are produced by the hypothalamus.
GH stimulates protein synthesis directly in muscle and other tissues and has an indirect mechanism mediated by insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), or somatomedins.
These growth-promoting proteins are produced by the liver and are responsible for stimulating tissue growth.
They also foster the uptake of amino acids from the blood, essential for new protein formation, which is particularly important in skeletal muscle cells and cartilage cells.
In addition to its anabolic effects, GH has a significant influence on energy metabolism.
It encourages lipolysis, the breakdown of triglycerides, and increases blood glucose levels through glycogen breakdown, leading to a glucose-sparing effect as tissues switch from glucose to fatty acids for energy.
This action is also described as having a diabetogenic effect due to the similarity to high blood glucose levels seen in diabetes mellitus.
The complete question is:
What is Growth Hormone (GH, Somatotropin, STH)?