title: Extrapituitary growth hormone in the chicken reproductive system.
abstract: Increasing evidence shows that growth hormone (GH) expression is not limited to the pituitary, as it can be produced in many other tissues. It is known that growth hormone (GH) plays a role in the control of reproductive tract development. Acting as an endocrine, paracrine and/or autocrine regulator, GH influences proliferation, differentiation and function of reproductive tissues. In this review we substantiate the local expression of GH mRNA and GH protein, as well as the GH receptor (GHR) in both male and female reproductive tract, mainly in the chicken. Locally expressed GH was found to be heterogeneous, with a 17 kDa variant being predominant. GH secretagogues, such as GHRH and TRH co-localize with GH expression in the chicken testis and induce GH release. In the ovarian follicular granulosa cells, GH and GHR are co-expressed and stimulate progesterone production, which was neutralized by a specific GH antibody. Both testicular and follicular cells in primary cultures were able to synthesize and release GH to the culture medium. We also characterized GH and GH mRNA expression in the hen's oviduct and showed that it had 99.6% sequence identity with pituitary GH. Data suggest local reproductive GH may have important autocrine/paracrine effects.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 76230 Querétaro, Mexico.
authors.forename: Maricela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luna
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 76230 Querétaro, Mexico; Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2H7, Canada.
authors.forename: Carlos G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Martínez-Moreno
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 76230 Querétaro, Mexico.
authors.forename: Marisela S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ahumada-Solórzano
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2H7, Canada.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 76230 Querétaro, Mexico.
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carranza
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 76230 Querétaro, Mexico. Electronic address: aramburo@unam.mx.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arámburo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019899:Paracrine Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin / Q000378:metabolism; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin; D013006:Growth Hormone
keywords: Growth hormone; Growth hormone receptor; Ovary; Oviduct; Testis; Vas deferens