Part of “CHAPTER 12 – GROWTH HORMONE AND ITS DISORDERS“

In humans, GH is encoded by two genes on the long arm of chromosome 17.1 They are part of a gene-duplication cluster that also includes the genes for chorionic somatomammotropin (placental lactogen), a protein highly homologous with GH (Fig. 12-1). The GH genes are named GH-N (or GH-1) and GH-V (or GH-2); the former is expressed in the pituitary, the latter in the placenta. GH-V is also called placental GH. The two GH genes are similar in structure; both are composed of five exons and four introns; each spans ˜1.6 kb.