The longitudinal bone growth of proximal tibia determined by tetracycline in hypophysectomized rats was used for the bioassay of growth hormone. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were hypophysectomized at 60 days of age and after a post-operative control period of 15 days growth hormone (NIH-GH-B16) was given daily for 5 or 10 days followed by a 10 day period after its withdrawal. A linear log dose-response relation was found for the two administration models with high precision. In the present investigation the longitudinal bone growth was more favourable as a growth parameter for the bioassay of growth hormone than the body weight and the width of the proximal tibial growth plate.