The somatomedin hypothesis revisited in a transgenic model.

• Studies of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) gene knockout mice models have clearly shown that IGF-I is necessary for prenatal as well as postnatal body growth in mice. Clinical studies of a patient with an IGF-I gene defect which caused complete absence of IGF-I, verified that it is important for intrauterine and postnatal growth. Recent studies of mice with liver-specific and inducible IGF-I gene knockout indicated that liver-derived IGF-I is not necessary for postnatal body growth, although serum IGF-I levels are decreased by more than 80% in these mice. Therefore, extrahepatic IGF-I is sufficient for maintenance of postnatal body growth in mice. Further investigations are needed to assess whether liver-derived circulating IGF-I is essential for other biological functions.

Nyckelord

Animals

Body Weight

genetics

Genetic Engineering

methods

Humans

Insulin-Like Growth Factor I

genetics

metabolism

Integrases

genetics

Liver

metabolism

Mice

Mice

Knockout

Mice

Transgenic

Organ Size

Somatomedins

physiology

Viral Proteins

genetics

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)