Deconstructing the Growth Hormone Receptor(GHR): Physical and Metabolic Phenotypes of Tissue-Specific GHR Gene-Disrupted Mice

Abstract

Growth hormone (GH)-induced signaling results in numerous effects in multiple tissues throughout the body. Elucidation of several of these effects has come from studies observing the various phenotypes of the GH receptor (GHR) gene-disrupted (GHR-/-) mouse. These mice are dwarf and obese with increased insulin sensitivity, are resistant to cancer and diabetes, and have an extended lifespan. While these mice have proven to be a valuable tool for understanding the pleiotropic effects of GH, we and others have generated novel tissue-specific GHR gene-disrupted mouse lines that are now helping to further dissect the actions of GH on specific cells/tissues. In this chapter, we summarize the various phenotypes observed in these mice.

Keywords: endocrine; gene; growth hormone; insulin; metabolism; tissue.