Human Growth Hormones

is a second layer of silicone. One improvement that needs to be made in the future with this technology is making it more applicable to irregular shaped wounds.

A new breakthrough in healing injured organs is what fascinated me the most, though. Recently, scientists at the University of Manitoba, Canada, have formulated a freeze-dried powder which transforms into a gel upon touching blood. What drew my attention particularly was the fact that this gel was made from a vegetable – okra. In addition to physically blocking wounds to prevent blood loss (which it does very effectively – all bleeding from the dog and rabbit hearts and livers stopped within 1 minute), it also causes blood to clot very quickly. The mechanisms behind this are yet to be discovered but it is speculated that there is a carbohydrate in the gel which is responsible for this effect. The gel also dissolves in the body after 4 – 6 weeks and causes no further complications, which gives hope for this to be a feasible method of treating injured organs in the future. All these technologies have the potential to change the future of those who are affected by medical conditions which affect blood circulation and clotting mechanisms. Now, diabetes contributes up to 90% of all amputations within certain populations. This is due to infection spreading from wounds to muscle and bone, which is called osteomyelitis. This develops into gangrene, leading to amputation. In the most severe cases, the person can develop sepsis which can be fatal. With quick healing technologies, a lot of lives would be improved and even saved, which would aid people in fulfilling more normal lives and having to take less precautions in order to care for a wound. As seen with the okra gel for organs, these can also be used in life-or-death situations – this would have a huge positive impact on emergency healthcare if methods are found to administer this treatment even more easily.

-Kat

Human growth hormone (HGH), also referred to as ‘somatropin’, is a protein molecule of recombinant human growth hormone, comprised of a single chain of 191 amino acids. Although synthesised in a laboratory, it is biologically identical to ‘somatotropin’, a growth hormone naturally produced in the body, secreted by the anterior pituitary gland.

Each amino acid is encoded for by a different sequence of DNA, and these sequences are brought together until the entire protein is encoded. Also, the manufacture of HGH uses recombinant DNA technology. rDNA is made artificially in a laboratory and combines genetic material from multiple origins; effectively, it isolates genes and attaches them to other sources of DNA. It is made possible by the fact that the DNA in all living organisms is similar in chemical structure. After the protein is encoded, the recombinant DNA is inserted into cells that mass produce the protein.

There have been various methods that have successfully produced rHGH, the first of which being “inclusion body technology.” rHGH collects in small bodies in E. coli bacteria and is then segregated and purified. However, it was not 100% accurate, as the protein molecules differed by one extra amino acid at the end. A newer technique, “protein secretion technology”, is used to manufacture most forms of rHGH currently available on the market. The main benefit is that the rHGH is secreted from the E. coli rather than accumulated in the inclusion body. Therefore, it is more easily purified, and ensures the production of rHGH identical to human growth hormone produced in the body.

It is important to maintain good growth hormone levels for both males and females, because lowering levels stops receptor cells in the body from performing their specific functions, which can cause a range of problems, including low energy, reduced muscle mass, and even feelings of anxiety and depression; symptoms are not just physiological, they can also be psychological and emotional. Therefore, adults suffering from growth hormone deficiency require human growth hormone injections to supplement them with hormones needed for essential physiological functions, replacing the lack of natural growth hormone produced by the pituitary gland.

The use of HGH is only legal if approved by a medical professional for a prescription medication; conditions include children with growth failure, adults with growth hormone deficiency, cachexia, and short-bowel syndrome. It is not available as an overthe-counter medication to prevent misuse; for example, it has been popularly used for bodybuilding purposes and to improve heavy lifting, or to slow ageing.

However, HGH therapy can also be used to treat other specific ailments. These consist of: 1. Prader-Willi Syndrome: a rare genetic disorder that causes weakness in muscle tone, delayed development, and difficulties feeding 2. Noonan Syndrome: a genetic disorder that causes abnormal development in multiple parts of the body 3. Turner’s Syndrome: Women have partially or fully missing sex chromosomes, which results in underdeveloped female characteristic

Generally, if the correct dosage is taken, HGH injections rarely have side effects; if they do occur, it is no more than some redness, swelling, or slight pain at the injection site. However, more serious complication can arise from abuse, misuse, or illegal use, as for a person with normal growth hormone levels, HGH injections will raise them too high. Side effects include insulin resistance, fluid retention, and carpel tunnel syndrome, but substance abuse can even cause type 2 diabetes or cancer; tumour growth could potentially be increased, since growth hormone stimulates cell reproduction.

-Kate