ABSTRACT
The growth stimulating effect of growth hormone was determined with tetracycline as intravital marker of the longitudinal bone growth of proximal tibia in female Sprague-Dawley rats hypophysectomized at 60 days of age. After a post-operative control period of 15 days growth hormone (NIH-GH-B16) was given daily for 5 or 10 days followed by a 10 day period after its withdrawal. L-thyroxine was given in association with the growth hormone administration to potentiate the growth stimulation.
A linear log dose-response relation was found for the two administration models with a high precision. The thyroxine-treatment increased the sensitivity of the bioassay. An administration period of 5 days was found sufficient for the bioassay of growth hormone in thyroxine-treated hypophysectomized rats.
Compared with the earlier bioassay methods for growth hormone, the present bioassay is more favourable when all the factors, such as precision, sensitivity, specificity, and administration period are considered.
Growth stimulation of juvenile salmonids by immersion in recombinant salmon growth hormone.
