title: [Somatotropin: structure, (bio)synthesis and species specificity].
abstract: The literature on biosynthesis and species specificity of bovine somatotropin (BST) is reviewed. Somatotropin is a hypophyseal hormone consisting of 190 amino acids, having, among other things, a stimulating effect on milk synthesis. Recombinant DNA-techniques have been used since 1982 to produce BST and this has paved the way for large-scale use of r-BST. It is assumed that the somatotropin molecule has several active sites responsible for a multitude of biological effects following interaction with specific receptors. Somatotropin of different animals have a varying amino acid composition. Sixty-five per cent of human and bovine somatotropins are homologues in amino acid sequence. BST is found to be virtually inactive when used therapeutically in human individuals.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000378:metabolism*; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D005091:Exons; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000502:physiology; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D013006:Growth Hormone
vernacular_title: Somatotropine: structuur, (bio)synthese en diersoortspecificiteit.