Abstract
125I-labelled rat growth hormone (GH) was injected I.V. into rats immediately after nephrectomy
or a sham operation. Serial blood samples were then taken for 2 hr from an indwelling
arterial cannula.
The rates of removal of trichloracetic acid precipitable radioactivity and immunoreactive
125I-GH were both significantly decreased in the nephrectomized rats.
Polyacrylamide gel eletrophoresis of plasma samples taken at 5 min and 120 min confirmed
the observation that GH was removed from the circulation more slowly in the anephric
rat.
It is concluded that in the rat the kidney contributes significantly to the clearance
of GH from the blood.
Key words
Rat GH - GH Disappearance - Anephric Rats
