ACTH also influences processes not related to adrenal function, including movement of fatty acids and neutral fats from fat depots, ketogenesis, muscle glycogen levels, hypoglycemia, and amino acid levels of the blood. It also increases the rate of binding of iodine within the thyroid. The release of thyroxin serves as a general metabolic control, with higher levels of thyroxin producing an increased metabolic rate. Growth hormone, along with other pituitary hormones, is important in protein synthesis providing high intracellular concentrations of amino acids. It exerts its effects on bone, muscle, kidney, liver and adipose tissues in bones in particular, the epiphyseal plates are sensitive to it.
Growth hormone causes hypertrophy of the kidney after one was removed.
18 Growth hormone mobilizes fat from adipose tissue, resulting in increased blood levels of ketone bodies, together with stimulation of the alpha cells of the pancreatic islets, causing glucagon secretion. Growth hormone also exerts a stimulating influence on milk production in lactating goats, either partly or entirely due to an increased amount of mammary gland tissue. MSH is involved in pigmentation patterns in mammals, although not to the same extent as known in reptiles, amphibians and fish where large variations in color due to changes in temperatures, humidity and illumination can be produced. All secretions of the anterior pituitary require a releasing factor from the hypothalamus, referred to as MRF, TRF, SRF, LRF, FRF, CRF and PIF, depending on whether the MSH, TSH, STH, LH, FSH, ACTH or LTH are involved. The pineal gland or epiphysis in goats and most other mammals is responsible for melatonin synsthesis.