Human growth hormone
Human Growth Hormone
The Human Growth Hormone (HGH), also known as somatotropin or somatropin, is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration in humans and other animals. It is thus important in human development.
Pronunciation
- Human Growth Hormone: /ˈhjuːmən ˈɡroʊθ ˈhoʊrməʊn/
- Somatotropin: /səˈmætəˌtroʊpɪn/
- Somatropin: /səˈmætrəpɪn/
Etymology
The term "Human Growth Hormone" is self-explanatory, referring to the hormone that stimulates growth in humans. "Somatotropin" and "somatropin" are derived from the Greek words "soma" meaning body and "tropos" meaning turn, referring to the hormone's role in body growth and development.
Function
HGH is produced by the pituitary gland, and it is a key hormone that plays a significant role in the regulation of body composition, body fluids, muscle and bone growth, sugar and fat metabolism, and possibly heart function.
Related Terms
- Pituitary gland: A small gland in the brain that produces several important hormones, including HGH.
- Peptide hormone: A type of hormone made up of amino acids, of which HGH is an example.
- Cell reproduction: The process by which cells divide to form new cells.
- Cell regeneration: The process by which damaged or dead cells are replaced with new cells.
- Metabolism: The chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life.
See Also
- Endocrine system
- Hormone
- Insulin-like growth factor 1
- Growth hormone deficiency
- Growth hormone treatment
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Human growth hormone
- Wikipedia's article - Human growth hormone
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