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An inverse age-related pattern of GH secretion has been identified in immature ducks between 2 and 9 weeks of age, the plasma level of GH falling progressively from 30-40 ng/ml at 2 weeks of age to the adult level (less than 10 ng/ml) by 9 weeks of age. This decrease in GH secretion was not accompanied by any age-related changes in the concentrations of plasma immunoreactive insulin of glucagon-like immunoreactivity or in plasma glucose or free fatty acid level. In 4- to 6-week-old ducklings the intravenous infusion of insulin (2.5 or 10 mu./kg per min for 30 min) and glucagon (0.1 or 0.5 micrograms/kg per min for 30 min) induced some inhibition of GH secretion, independently of changes in blood glucose level. These results suggest that although insulin and especially glucagon have direct effects on GH secretion in the duck, maturational differences in pancreatic function are unlikely to be causally related to the decrease in GH secretion during growth.

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