Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026
11:17
Comparative Analysis of Human Growth Hormone in Serum Using SPRi, Nano-SPRi and ELISA Assays
Published on: January 7, 2016
The growth hormone-prolactin relationship: a neglected issue
1Endocrinology & Diabetes Research Unit, Schneider Children's Medical Center and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel. laronz@clalit.org.il
Pediatric Endocrinology Reviews : PER
|March 9, 2012
Summary
Long-term oversecretion of growth hormone and prolactin, which originate from the same progenitor cells, may increase cancer risk. Further research is needed to confirm this link.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Developmental Biology
- Oncology
Background:
- Growth hormone (somatotrophs) and prolactin (lactotrophs) secreting cells originate from a common progenitor (somatomammotroph) during embryogenesis.
- Co-secretion of growth hormone and prolactin can occur postnatally when one hormone is oversecreted.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if sustained co-secretion of growth hormone and prolactin poses a risk factor for malignancy.
Main Methods:
- This study poses a research question regarding the long-term effects of hormone co-secretion.
- Further methodological details are not provided in the abstract.
Main Results:
- The abstract does not present specific results but frames a question for investigation.
- The potential link between hormone co-secretion and malignancy requires further study.
Conclusions:
- The long-term co-secretion of growth hormone and prolactin is hypothesized as a potential risk factor for cancer.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the relationship between these hormonal imbalances and cancer development.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Hormones of the Pituitary Gland
The small, pea-sized pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain. It is crucial in regulating various bodily functions, from growth to reproduction. The gland is divided into the anterior lobe and the posterior lobe. The secretory cell clusters in the pars distalis of the anterior pituitary lobe are controlled by hypothalamic regulators and synthesize six primary hormones.
The most abundantly secreted hormone from the anterior lobe is the growth hormone, which controls overall growth by...
The most abundantly secreted hormone from the anterior lobe is the growth hormone, which controls overall growth by...
01:27Major Hormones and Their Functions
Hormones, the biochemical messengers produced by endocrine glands, are pivotal in regulating bodily functions and maintaining homeostasis. Each hormone's balance is crucial; imbalances can lead to significant physiological disruptions. Major hormones include oxytocin, cortisol, epinephrine, estrogen, testosterone, thyroxine, growth hormone, insulin, and glucagon.
Oxytocin, produced in the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland, plays a role in social bonding, childbirth, and lactation.
Oxytocin, produced in the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland, plays a role in social bonding, childbirth, and lactation.
01:01Feedback Loops
In most cases, excessive hormone production is prevented by negative feedback—a loop that starts with a stimulus inducing the release of a particular substance, like a hormone, to maintain a certain level before triggering a signal that results in a decrease in further release of the hormone.
01:10Nature and Nurture
Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience, such as differences...
01:19Regulation of Hormone Secretion
Regulation of hormone secretion is a finely tuned orchestration driven by various types of stimuli, encompassing neural, humoral, and hormonal signals. Environmental cues instigate neural stimuli, where action potentials traverse nerve fibers to reach their designated targets. An illustrative scenario is the body's response to stress, wherein the sympathetic nervous system releases epinephrine from the adrenal glands, inducing the well-known 'fight or flight' reaction.
Humoral stimuli,...
Humoral stimuli,...
01:22Target Cell Response to Hormones
Hormones intricately bind to receptors on the surface or within target cells, initiating a cascade of cellular responses.
Notably, the cellular response can be regulated by altering the number of receptors expressed in the cell. For example, prolonged exposure to elevated hormone levels results in a gradual decline or down-regulation in the number of receptors for that specific hormone on the cell surface. Conversely, in response to low hormone levels, cells may use up-regulation, producing an...
Notably, the cellular response can be regulated by altering the number of receptors expressed in the cell. For example, prolonged exposure to elevated hormone levels results in a gradual decline or down-regulation in the number of receptors for that specific hormone on the cell surface. Conversely, in response to low hormone levels, cells may use up-regulation, producing an...