Gonadotrophs – follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH).
Growth hormone
As its name suggests, the primary function of GH is to promote bodily growth. Most famously, GH promotes the widening of the growth plates in the epiphyses of the long bones of the skeleton, which results in elongation of the major bones of the arms and legs, progressively increasing height. GH also enhances amino acid uptake from the blood into cells, increasing the rate of protein synthesis in tissues such as muscle; this is why it is known as an anabolic hormone.
Thyroid hormones T3 and T4 (thyroxine), which regulate metabolism, are necessary for GH to exert its effects efficiently. The anabolic effects of GH are also enhanced by the presence of other anabolic hormones such as testosterone. As well as promoting bone and muscle growth, GH also stimulates the growth of many of the major internal organs (Devesa et al, 2016).