GHRH
GHRH (growth hormone releasing hormone), also known as somatoliberin or GRF, is a hypothalamic neuropeptide of the glucagon family. It acts on the pituitary gland to stimulate the secretion of growth hormone. Browse Assay Genie's current range of GHRH research reagents below, or read on for the biology behind the target.
GHRH is released by the hypothalamus and acts on the adenohypophysis, the anterior pituitary, to stimulate the secretion of growth hormone. This places it at the top of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis that controls growth hormone output. The mature secreted factor is known as somatoliberin, and the protein is also referred to as GRF.
The GHRH gene encodes a member of the glucagon family of proteins. The encoded preproprotein is produced in the hypothalamus and cleaved to generate the mature factor. Alternative splicing gives rise to multiple transcript variants, at least one of which encodes a preproprotein that is proteolytically processed. HGNC places the gene in the neuropeptides group, and GHRF is listed as an alias. Orthologous Ghrh genes are present in mouse and rat, which supports comparative work in rodent models.
GHRH is of interest in disease biology because altered levels of the protein are linked to disorders of growth. Defects in the gene are a cause of dwarfism, while hypersecretion of the encoded protein is a cause of gigantism. Variant receptors for somatoliberin have also been found in several types of tumour, and antagonists of these receptors can inhibit the growth of those tumours. Researchers studying the GHRH protein or gene therefore work across endocrinology, neuroendocrine signalling and cancer biology.
GHRH is produced in the hypothalamus and signals to the pituitary, making it a central peptide for studying hypothalamic control of hormone secretion.
As the factor that stimulates growth hormone release from the pituitary gland, GHRH is key to understanding the regulation of growth hormone output.
Defects in the gene cause dwarfism and hypersecretion of the protein causes gigantism, linking GHRH to the study of growth disorders.
Variant somatoliberin receptors occur in several tumour types, and receptor antagonists can inhibit tumour growth, which makes the GHRH pathway relevant to cancer research.
GHRH is released by the hypothalamus and acts on the adenohypophysis, or anterior pituitary, to stimulate the secretion of growth hormone. The mature, secreted factor is called somatoliberin. It is produced as a preproprotein that is cleaved to generate the active peptide.
GHRH stands for growth hormone releasing hormone. It is also called somatoliberin, GRF and GHRF. The gene undergoes alternative splicing to give multiple transcript variants, at least one of which encodes a preproprotein that is proteolytically processed to the mature factor.
Defects in the GHRH gene are a cause of dwarfism, whereas hypersecretion of the protein is a cause of gigantism. Variant receptors for somatoliberin occur in several tumours. Mouse and rat both have a Ghrh ortholog; check the datasheet of any product for its validated reactivity.
Other neuropeptides, glucagon family members and growth hormone axis targets with products at Assay Genie.
Gene and protein annotations from HGNC, NCBI Gene and UniProt P01286; product specifications from Assay Genie datasheets.