IGF-I, or Insulin-like Growth Factor-I, is a potent anabolic peptide hormone structurally homologous to insulin, playing a critical role in growth, cellular proliferation, and tissue repair. Primarily synthesized in the liver in response to growth hormone (GH) stimulation, IGF-I mediates many of the growth-promoting effects of GH throughout the lifespan. Circulating levels are used clinically as a reliable marker of average growth hormone secretion. Its functions extend beyond growth, significantly influencing metabolism, bone density, and muscle maintenance.
Origin
The name “Insulin-like Growth Factor” was assigned because the peptide exhibited growth-promoting effects and showed structural similarity to the pro-insulin molecule. The Roman numeral “I” distinguishes it from its counterpart, IGF-II. Its role as the primary mediator of growth hormone action was elucidated in the latter half of the 20th century, establishing the GH-IGF-I axis as central to somatic growth.
Mechanism
Growth Hormone (GH) released from the pituitary gland travels to the liver, where it binds to GH receptors, initiating a signaling cascade that stimulates the synthesis and secretion of IGF-I. Circulating IGF-I then acts in an endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine manner by binding to the IGF-I receptor (IGF-1R) on target cells in tissues such as muscle, bone, and cartilage. This binding activates the receptor’s intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity, initiating downstream pathways like the PI3K/Akt pathway, which promotes cell survival, protein synthesis, and tissue growth.
Biomarkers translate subjective feelings of fatigue and decline into objective data, revealing the interconnected functional status of your endocrine and metabolic systems.
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