Secchi C, Borromeo V
Istituto di Fisiologia Veterinaria e Biochimica, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy.
J Chromatogr B Biomed Sci Appl. 1997 Jan 24;688(2):161-77. doi: 10.1016/s0378-4347(96)00296-4.
Growth hormone (GH) is a polipeptide that controls the differentiation, growth and metabolism of many cell types, and is secreted from the hypophysis of all vertebrate species tested so far. Despite the overlapping evolutionary, structural, immunological and biological properties, it is well-known that GHs from distinct mammalian species have significant species-specific characteristics. The main purpose of this review is to highlight bovine GH (bGH) structural features related to its species-specific properties. Novel interest in bGH is also aroused by the advent of biotechnological methods for production of recombinant proteins. In fact recombinant bGH will have a great importance in veterinary medicine research and as a 'high tech' drug that needs to be monitored in zootechnical productions.
