title: The role of ghrelin in GH secretion and GH disorders.
abstract: In humans, growth hormone (GH) is secreted from the anterior pituitary in a pulsatile pattern. The traditional view is that this secretory pattern is driven by two counter regulatory neurohormones, GHRH and somatostatin. Ghrelin, the natural ligand for the growth hormone (GH)-secretagogue receptor (GHS-R), is produced in the stomach. Ghrelin is the strongest GH secretagogue known to date, but the role of endogenous ghrelin in the regulation of circulating GH levels remains controversial. The following review examines the evidence suggesting that endogenous ghrelin may be a key regulator of GH peak amplitude and discusses studies of diseases with altered GH levels, where it is found that in these states GH and ghrelin levels change in a similar way.
authors: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
authors: Ralf
authors: R
authors: Nass
authors: Bruce D
authors: BD
authors: Gaylinn
authors: Michael O
authors: MO
authors: Thorner
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D019382:Human Growth Hormone