Nancy Koester, age 12, of Huntington Beach, California,for her question:

Which gland makes you grow tall or short?

Samatotripin, the so called growth hormone, is created by the pituitary gland which dangles like a cherry from the base of the brain in the middle of the skull. But this is not the entire story. All the endocrinal glands work together like a combo. When one falls down on the job or overdoes it, they all play out of tune. The growth hormone needs to harmonize with the thyroid and perhaps several other glands.

Their balanced good health requires the balanced diet that keeps the whole body in blooming good health. But even when these things are perfect, growth hormones can do only so much. The DNA in every cell inherited a genetic pattern from both sides of the family. One group of these genes determines the growth limits of each person. They instruct the growth hormones and decide how fast and how tall a healthy, well fed body can grow. Certain diseases, poor diets or jittery stresses can hamper operations during the growing years. Then a person never reaches the limit of his or her possible height.

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