Insulin-Like Growth Factor Biology in Developmental Systems

The insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are a family of peptide hormones that serve as central regulators of cell growth, differentiation and survival during embryonic and foetal development. IGF-I and IGF-II exert their effects predominantly through the IGF1 receptor, a transmembrane tyrosine kinase, while IGF2 engages both IGF1R and a distinct mannose-6-phosphate receptor that modulates its availability. A network of six high-affinity IGF-binding proteins finely tunes ligand distribution and receptor activation, shaping concentration gradients that guide tissue patterning in neural, musculoskeletal and endodermal compartments. Genomic imprinting of the Igf2 locus imposes parent-of-origin control on growth trajectories, with dysregulation linked to developmental syndromes. Cross-talk between IGF signalling and pathways such as WNT, FGF and Hedgehog integrates nutrient sensing with morphogenetic programmes, ensuring coordinated organogenesis. Advances in single-cell transcriptomics, live-imaging and structural biology have begun to unravel the spatial and temporal dynamics of IGF action in vivo. Understanding these mechanisms holds promise for addressing growth disorders, enhancing regenerative therapies and optimising animal husbandry through precise manipulation of IGF axes.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have employed single-cell transcriptomics to map the IGF-signalling landscape across emerging organ primordia, revealing transient IGF-II hotspots in neural crest derivatives and identifying cell-type-specific IGF1R expression patterns during craniofacial morphogenesis. Structural analyses have captured the active conformation of IGF1R in complex with IGF-I, elucidating the molecular basis of receptor dimerisation, kinase activation and downstream adaptor recruitment in embryonic stem cells. Intravital imaging approaches have characterised IGF-I gradient formation in developing somites, demonstrating that spatial modulation of IGF-I dictates myogenic progenitor proliferation and segmentation in vertebrate embryos.

Insulin-Like Growth Factor Biology in Developmental Systems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in insulin-like growth factor biology in developmental systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

IGF-I: A peptide hormone that promotes proliferation and differentiation via activation of the IGF1 receptor.

IGF-II: An imprinted growth factor critical for foetal development, signalling through IGF1R and a clearance receptor (IGF2R).

IGF1R: A receptor tyrosine kinase that mediates the mitogenic and survival signals of IGFs.

Genomic imprinting: An epigenetic mechanism causing parent-of-origin-specific gene expression.

E-peptide: The carboxy-terminal extension of pro-IGF precursors, implicated in intracellular trafficking and processing.

References

1. Detection of novel transcripts and evaluation of expression levels of Igf2 in mouse placenta. Veterinary Integrative Sciences (2022).
2. Insulin-like growth factors I and II in fetal and adult bovine serum. Purification, primary structures, and immunological cross-reactivities.. Journal of Biological Chemistry (1986).
3. Identification of a peptide fragment from the carboxyl-terminal extension region (E-domain) of rat proinsulin-like growth factor-II.. Journal of Biological Chemistry (1985).