The effects of amino acid supply on the sensitivity of IGF-1 secretion to growth hormone stimulation in ovine hepatocytes

• Published in: Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science Vol. 1999; p. 160
• Main Authors: Wheelhouse, N.M., Hazlerigg, D.G., MacRae, J.C., Lomax, M.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 1999
• ISSN: 1752-7562; 1752-7570
• DOI: 10.1017/S175275620000315X

Many of the anabolic effects of growth hormone (GH), including promotion of lean tissue growth, are mediated by the actions of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) (Gluckman
et al
, 1987). It is known that the response of hepatic IGF-1 synthesis to GH may be modulated by alterations in levels of feeding or changes in protein supply (Pell
et al
, 1993). The aim of the current study was to develop an
in vitro
model to characterise interactions between amino acid supply and GH on hepatic IGF-1 release in ruminants.
Ovine hepatocyes were prepared by a modification of a published method (Luo
et al
, 1992) from the median lobe of livers removed immediately after slaughter from sheep killed at a local abattoir. Free amino acid concentrations in test media were 5x, 1x and 0.2x physiological concentrations based upon
in vivo
ovine portal venous blood data (Lobley
et al
, 1995).