Growth hormone: independent release of big and small forms from rat pituitary in vitro.

Sequential release of big and small forms of growth hormone by perifused rat pituitaries has been demonstrated by immunoprecipitation. The results suggest that either the two forms are independently synthesized and released, or that a newly synthesized molecule of big growth hormone follows one of two paths: direct release or intracellular processing through the storage compartment with conversion to small growth hormone.