Stupid endocrinology questions --

[Doctor Bagel]

I was just taking a practice test by a professor who tends to write poorly edited questions, so I thought I would try to clarify a few things with the experts here.

1. Can GH stimulate milk synthesis? I know it's similar to prolactin, but this just seems wrong and isn't written in either Costanzo or my course syllabus.

2. Does GH have any involvement with fetal growth? Costanzo just talks about its release starting with birth, but I've come across some articles online that seem to say fetuses can produce their own GH.

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[spicedmanna]

1. Can GH stimulate milk synthesis? I know it's similar to prolactin, but this just seems wrong and isn't written in either Costanzo or my course syllabus.

There appears to be non-human (rat) data that support the notion that GH stimulates milk synthesis. The article that I found says, "Thus, GH does act directly on the mammary gland to stimulate milk synthesis, although this does not rule out the possibility that GH acts by stimulating local production of IGF-I" (Flint and Gardner, 1994).

D.J. Flint and M. Gardner, Endocrinology, Vol 135, 1119-1124, 1994.

http://endo.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/135/3/1119

Keep in mind, this is with rats. I have no idea about this in reference to humans.

 

[ColinHay]

just talked about this today in lecture.
this applies to rats only

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Hmm, so it does in rats but not humans (or we don't know if it does in humans)? I guess the question didn't specify species, but one would assume that in a medical school physiology class, we'd be talking about people. Well, I guess I'll be sure to contest this question if it pops up on the exam.

Thanks for the info!