Reproduction Abstracts

Growth hormone (GH) is necessary to grow to normal adult size. While GH plasma concentrations are highest during early development, there is no evidence that GH influences somatic growth until after birth when GH-receptors are upregulated in peripheral tissues. The gradual decline in plasma GH during fetal life in a range of mammals suggests that negative feedback to the developing pituitary occurs progressively to decrease pituitary GH output. We have tested this hypothesis u...