Insulin-like growth factors in the gastrointestinal tract and liver.
The liver is a major source of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) that are present in the circulation and have important endocrine activities relating to energy metabolism, body size, carcinogenesis, and various organ-specific functions. Although IGFs have only minor effects on the normal liver itself, production of IGFs and IGFBPs in a tissue-specific manner in the gastrointestinal tract exert important regulatory effects on cellular proliferation, survival, and apoptosis. IGFs and IGFBPs play important regulatory roles in the response of both the liver and the gastrointestinal tract to inflammation and in the development of neoplasia.
Department of Medicine, Medical College of Virginia Campus, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0341, USA. john.kuemmerle@vcu.edu
John F
JF
Kuemmerle
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism; D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins; D013002:Somatomedins; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1