Growth Hormone And Mammalian Aging

GlossaryCongenital trait A trait which is inborn or inherited. Evolutionary fitness A measure of reproductive success which is equal to the average contribution to the gene pool of the next generation by individuals of a given genotype or phenotype under prevailing environmental conditions. Familial trait A trait which clusters in families.Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) A medical condition resulting from inadequate secretion of growth hormone (GH) from the anterior pituitary gland.Growth hormone resistance A medical condition resulting from inadequate GH receptor signaling due to GH receptor deficiency or postreceptor defects.Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) A target of the (originally anti-fungal) drug rapamycin, which arrests G1 to S cell phase progression in mammalian T-lymphocytes, thus suppressing the immune system. Somatotropic axis A hypothalamic-pituitary axis comprising the secretion of growth hormone (GH; somatotropin) from the somatotropes of the pituitary gland into the circulation to stimulate the production of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1; somatomedin-1) by the liver (and other tissues).Pleiotropic effects Two or more seemingly unrelated effects that result from the same determinant.Sporadic trait A trait that is acquired, occurring occasionally in single individuals.