ABSTRACT
<p><b>AIM</b>To study the effects of Cu2+ on growth hormone (GH) secretion of pig pituitary cells in vivo.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Gland pituitary cells of 32-35 days old pigs were incubated for 48 h in presence of 10% fetal calf serum in DMEM. Cells were treated for 36 h with various concentrations of Cu2+ (0 mg/L, 0.025 mg/L, 0.1 mg/L, 0.4 mg/L, 1.6 mg/L) in serum-free DMEM. Culture medium was collected in 12 h, 24 h, 36 h thereafter for GH measurement and the radioimmunoassay kits were provided by Linco.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The GH concentration was higher in treatments of 0.025 mg/L, 0.1 mg/L, 0.4 mg/L than that of 0 mg/L when the cells were treated with Cu2+ for 24 h, and it was significantly different (P < 0.05) between treatment 0.1 mg/L and treatment 0 mg/L.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>It was concluded that the presence of Cu2+ stimulated pig pituitary cells to secret GH in vivo.</p>