Early investigations: Characterizations of the circulating growth hormone

Abstract

Core Messages: The introduction of radioimmunoassays in the 1960ies led to the recognition that the patients who clinically resembled GH deficiency but had high serum hGH levels, had a new disease entity. This chapter describes the psychological pattern of circadian hGH secretion in Laron syndrome patients, and the response to stimulatory and suppressing agents. Immunological tests and radioreceptor assays showed that the hGH molecule is normal. Liver biopsies from 2 LS patients proved that the hGH receptor is defect. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011.