THE EFFECT OF GROWTH HORMONE ON THE INORGANIC PHOSPHORUS LEVELS IN THE PLASMA¹

Abstract

The fact that the hypophysis may play an important role in the control of inorganic phosphorus in the animal has been known for some time. Kobayashi (1931) and Schijo (1934) have shown that hypophysectomy in dogs causes a reduction of the inorganic phosphorus of the blood. Irradiation of the rabbit’s pituitary also brought about a decrease in blood phosphorus (Cannavo and Beninato, 1934). In rats, the removal of the pituitary reduces markedly the serum inorganic phosphorus level (Anderson and Castler, 1938; Jones and Shinowara, 1942). The earlier work of Teel and Watkins (1929) indicated that anterior pituitary extract produced an increase of inorganic phosphorus in the blood of dogs. These results were later extended by Gerschman and Marenzi (1935) who found that the blood inorganic phosphorus level changes from 4.25 mg. to 7.88 mg. per cent as the result of pituitary extract injections.