A COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF GROWTH HORMONE AND OF INSULIN ADMINISTRATION

Abstract

AS A result of studies on protein metabolism in pregnant rats (Beaton et al., 1954), we became interested in possible hormonal factors which might bring about the metabolic alterations seen after the fifteenth day of gestation. Another paper (Beaton et al., 1955) has described the similarity between the changes seen in pregnancy and those produced by the administration of growth hormone to nonpregnant rats. It is well known that insulin administration results in an increased food intake and consequent body weight gain. It has been proposed (Salter and Best, 1953; Lawrence, Salter and Best, 1954) that insulin may have a growth hormone-like activity or that the two hormones may be closely interrelated. If this concept about insulin is correct, insulin might be the hormone responsible for the metabolic alterations evident in the pregnant rat.