Clinical Significance:
Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone is a 44 amino acid peptide produced primarily by the hypothalamus. It is a neurohumoral control for adenohypophyseal secretion of Growth Hormone. Other hypothalamic hormones have a stimulatory effect on pituitary hormones, but Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone has no known effect on other pituitary hormones. Somatostatin is the inhibitory counterpart of Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone. Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone has structural similarities with the Secretin-Glucagon family of gastrointestinal hormones. Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone has been isolated from pancreatic Islet Cells and various cancer tumor cells.
Reference Range:
5 – 18 pg/ml
Procedure:
Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone is measured by direct EIA/ELISA.
Patient Preparation:
Patient should not be on any medications that may influence pituitary secretion.
Specimen Collection:
3 ml serum or EDTA plasma should be collected and separated as soon as possible. Freeze the plasma immediately after separation. Minimum specimen size is 1 ml.
Special Specimens:
For tumor/tissue and various fluids (i.e. CSF, peritoneal, synovial, etc.) contact the Institute for requirements and special handling.
Shipping Instructions:
Ship specimens frozen in dry ice.
References:
1. ML Vance. Growth-Hormone-Releasing Hormone. Clinical Chemistry 36: 415-420, 1990. 2, AM Sopwith, ES Penny, A Grossman, MO Savage, GM Besser, and LH Rees. Normal Circulating Growth Hormone Releasing Factor (hGRF) Concentrations in Patients with Functional Hypothalamic hGRF Deficiency. Clinical Endocrinology 24: 395-400, 1986