Endocrine Control of Growth Flashcards
What factors affect physiology of growth?
Genetics
Nutrition
Hormones
What hormones are involved in growth physiology?
GH
IGF-1 - insulin like growth hormone
Thyroid hormone
Insulin
Sex steroids
Cortisol
What are the 2 periods of rapid growth?
Infancy and Puberty
Describe growth in infancy
Foetal period and 8-10 months controlled by thyroid hormones and insulin
GH becomes more significant from 10 months
Describe growth during puberty
Androgens and oestrogens - spikes in GH secretion - increase IDF-I so increase growth
Sex steroids terminate growth as epiphyses fuse in long bones
What does GH and IGF-I promote?
Bone elongation - increased height, weight and body mass
What do sex steroids act to do?
Close epiphyses - stop elongation of bone
What hormones dominate intra-uterine growth?
Thyroid hormone, insulin and IGF-II
Explain congenital hypothyroidism
Babies are born of normal size but cant produce own TH as got from mum in utero
Can get retarded growth and retain infantile facial features
GH levels are normal but low TH supresses action of GH
Does TH have effect on GH?
Has permissive effect on GH
Loss of this action impacts GH action
What is the difference between low TH and low GH in children?
If low TH and normal GH then small and retain infantile proportions
If low GH and normal TH then proportionally normal but small
What type of hormone is growth hormone?
Peptide hormone released from anterior pituitary - somatotropin
Released from somatotroph cells
What is release of GH controlled by?
2 neurohormones with opposing actions -
Growth hormone inhibiting hormone - somatostatin
Growth hormone releasing hormone
Explain the importance of GH
From 10 months is necessary for growth
GH requires permissive action of TH and insulin to stimulate growth - hypothyroidism and poorly controlled diabetes effected
What does GH promote?
Increase in cell size - hypertrophy
Cell division - hyperplasia