Human growth hormone (HGH) is a peptide hormone released from the human body's anterior pituitary gland. It has 191 amino acids and it is available to support the growth of bones, organs and the entire body. It is a protein source and it keeps fat and minerals burning and making the human body. HGH is a genetic recombinant compound, as is human pituitary growth hormone in amino acids, sequence and protein. Growth-hormone replacement therapy for children in paediatrics will actually make the child taller.

Related Products

HGH Secretion and Physiological Function

It's made and released primarily by the anterior pituitary gland. It is a polypeptide hormone with 191 amino acid residues, which weighs 22124Da. These amino acid structure attributes of human growth hormone orient the direction that its physiological actions in the human body take: for growth, metabolism and endocrine activity. Growth and cell regeneration, protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism are physiologically active functions of growth hormone. Synthetic growth hormone is often injected for growth-hormone deficiencies and other growth problems. Human growth hormone body can be roughly classified into several major subtypes:

Carboxyl Terminus and Amino Terminus

The structure of HGH contains an amino terminus and a carboxyl terminus, and the amino acid sequences of these two endpoints play an important role in biological activity.

Helical Structure

The tertiary structure of human growth hormone presents multiple α-helices, and this helical structure is an important basis for its biological activity.

Dimer Form

In the human body, growth hormone usually exists in the form of a dimer. Two HGH molecules are bound together by non-covalent bonds to form a functionally active form.

Growth Hormone Receptor Signaling

GH is pulsed out of somatotrophs in the anterior pituitary. It's mostly controlled by the hypothalamic hormones growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH; good regulator) and somatostatin (bad regulator). These are the STAT molecules evoked by GH signalling: STAT1, 3, 5a and 5b. GH, when released into the bloodstream, attaches to and stimulates GHR on the cell surface and its associated prolactin receptors in the tissues where it's targeted, such as liver, muscle, bone and fat. JAK-STAT, MEK/MAPK, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and PLC/DAG/PKC are major pathways GHR activates. And since the cancers and other disorders underlying this receptor are still in good shape, there's clearly room for other targeted therapies – and there are a few in preclinical and clinical trials.

Fig.1 HGH signal transduction. (Man L.; et al. 2019).

HGH Sequence of Gene

Human growth hormone's gene sits at q22-24 on chromosome 17. It snuck up quite a bit on the gene for human chorionic lactogen (placental lactogen). Growth hormone, chorionic growth hormone and prolactin (PRL) are a series of similar hormones which serve both as growth hormone and lactation stimulants respectively.

Medical Applications of HGH

The pituitary gland releases human growth hormone, a key factor in the development of a child or adolescent. It is required for other bodily functions in adults as well. These are just some of the medical uses of human growth hormone:

Clinical Significance

It's given as a clinical dose to treat growth retardation in children and growth hormone deficiencies in adults. For anti-ageing it is a new fad. Growth hormone replaces growth hormone deficiency in adults, as well as those who have been diagnosed adult-onset (from acquired pituitary tumours) or childhood-onset. These patients can get the following from growth hormone: weight loss, muscle gains, bone density, lower blood lipids, reduced cardiovascular risk factors, improved mental state.

Growth Hormone Excess

Excess growth hormone disease The most common type is pituitary tumour - caused by an overgrowth of somatotropic cells in the anterior pituitary. There are 3-4 cases per million population per year and 50–60 people per million population. Pituitary tumours become slowly swelling, release more growth hormone, and trigger acromegaly, muscle weakness, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

Growth Hormone Deficiency

HGH deficiency is age-related. The most common signs in infants are stunted growth and dwarfism – the usual result of birth defects or genetic mutations, sometimes preceded by late puberty. This hormone is produced by the anterior pituitary and thought to function in growth, cell regrowth and metabolism. Growing hormone deficiencies are the same in children as they are in adults, but the effects are quite different. Growth hormone deficiency is an intervenable disease, one that can be accurately identified and treated in the appropriate way to make a real difference in the lives and health of patients.

Application of human growth hormone to short children with idiopathic short stature (ISS). A lion's share of ISS patients are in the average height for adults. Growth, metabolism, and bone and muscle function are the main effects of human growth hormone. Human growth hormone can even grow bone and soft tissue and increase people's muscle mass in the idiopathic short. Chronic human growth hormone is very promising in ISS patients, too. Although HGH can be quite effective most of the time, it may come with side effects such as high blood glucose and joint discomfort.

Conclusion

HGH is a polypeptide hormone that is mainly made and released by the anterior pituitary gland. Its physiological activities in the human body are growth, metabolism and chemical reactions. Idiopathic dwarfism is the name given to an illness for which there is no identifiable medical reason why a child grows much shorter than his or her normal peers, and for which there is no specific cause. Human growth hormone (HGH) is a popular therapeutic for idiopathic dwarfism, and it has been successful in the clinic.

References

1. Dos S.; et al. TransCon human growth hormone for children with growth hormone deficiency: a technology evaluation. Expert opinion on drug delivery. 2022, 19(1): 1-7.
2. Man L.; et al. Targeting growth hormone function: strategies and therapeutic applications. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy. 2019, 3 (4): 1-9.