Abstract: Pituitary growth hormone (GH) has long been known as a major regulator of normal growth and metabolism. For a long time, we have been paid more attention in increasing the level of GH when we studies animal normal growth and metabolism. However, it does only work for GH in combining to its receptor (GHR) of target organs and transmitting the GH-dependent signals into the cells. Recently, a lot of studies show that the growth speed of animals does not completely parallel with the GH level exactly, and is distinctly positive correlation with GHR of liver. Level of GH and pituitary GH mRNA in the blood of growth speedy meat chicken is lower than that of growth slow egg chicken; while its GHR of liver is much higher. Concentration of the GH in blood of dwarfism animals is higher than that of normal animals, at the same time, the extracellular parts of their GHR are deficiency or have no normal functions. Hence, GHR gene expression plays a key role in regulating the normal growth and metabolism of animals.

Key words: growth hormone receptor gene; expression; adjustment