title: The role of growth hormone in fetal development.
abstract: Studies across several species, particularly the mouse, show that growth hormone (GH, somatotrophin) is an important determinant of litter size, and to a lesser extent, of birth length. GH acts at all stages of development, from ovulation through preimplantation development to the late fetus, with actions on both embryo/fetus and mother contributing to successful fetal development. The fact that these are not more obvious in vivo is likely a result of redundancy of cytokine hormone action, particularly in relation to prolactin, which shares common actions and receptor locations with GH.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, 4072, St Lucia, Australia. m.waters@mailbox.uq.edu.au
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Kaye
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000502:physiology; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010060:Ovulation / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011388:Prolactin / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin; D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone