We have measured protein kinetics in the scalded skin and normal muscle in anesthetized rabbits. On the 7th day after ear scald, L-[ring-13C6]phenylalanine was infused as a tracer, and the ear and hindlimb were used as arteriovenous units to reflect skin and muscle protein kinetics. Insulin was infused at 0.6 or 2.3-3.4 mU. kg-1. min-1 in the low-dose and high-dose insulin groups. In the growth hormone group, recombinant human growth hormone was administered at 2 mg. kg-1. day-1 after the ear was scalded. The results were compared with a control group in which the ear was scalded but otherwise was not treated. In the control group, net protein loss in the scalded skin and muscle was 23.1 +/- 21.4 and 3.9 +/- 1.5 micromol. 100 g-1. h-1, respectively. Insulin infusion at either high or low dose reduced net protein loss to near zero by inhibiting proteolysis. In contrast, growth hormone treatment had no anabolic effect on either tissue. In conclusion, insulin but not growth hormone has an anabolic effect on scalded skin and normal muscle; low-dose insulin is as effective in achieving an anabolic effect on both tissues, with less hypoglycemic response than high-dose insulin.