What's love got to do with it?
Keywords:
Book, TV Programme, Biology, Genetics, Growth hormone, Clifford the Big Red DogAbstract
Clifford the Big Red Dog has grown to be around 25 feet tall and the reason for this is still unknown. His owner Emily Elizabeth has said that his size is due to her love: the more she loves him, the bigger he gets. However, this paper disputes that there are other reasons causing his abnormal growth. Gigantism could be a reason as to why he has grown so much as a puppy. His continued growth, even as an adult, is likely to be due to Acromegaly. Both are caused by excessive growth hormone (GH) being secreted. A high in protein diet can increase the secretion of GH and IGF-1 due to its high L-Arginine content. ACSL4, a gene found in large dog breeds, may have been over-expressed and led to his increased growth and bulking.
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