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The somatotropic axis of the dairy cow revisited
Author(s) -
ROSE Michael Terence
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
animal science journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.606
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1740-0929
pISSN - 1344-3941
DOI - 10.1046/j.1344-3941.2002.t01-1-00002.x
Subject(s) - somatotropic cell , acromegaly , paracrine signalling , autocrine signalling , growth hormone receptor , biology , growth hormone , hormone , bovine somatotropin , growth factor , endocrinology , receptor , medicine , secretion , hormone receptor , alternative splicing , messenger rna , biochemistry , gene , genetics , cancer , breast cancer
The greater understanding of the somatotropic axis in the lactating dairy cow that has been achieved in recent years is briefly reviewed in this article. Specifically discussed are: the significance of multiple forms of insulin‐like growth factor messenger RNA (ribonucleic acid) caused by alternative splicing, and the possible functions of the various translated extension proteins; the possible roles of multiple sites of growth hormone secretion other than in the pituitary, and the implications for possible autocrine or paracrine growth hormone secretion; the consequences for increased circulating growth hormone half‐life, and possibly biological effectiveness, caused by growth hormone binding proteins; and the increasing evidence for the presence of growth hormone receptors in the bovine mammary gland. The need for further research is highlighted in the present review; published information regarding the bovine, in many of these areas, is still largely insufficient.