Molecular and Cellular Biology of Insulin-like Growth Factors and Their Receptors

An essential element in the development and functional integrity of all organisms is intercellular communication. This is achieved by the secretion of soluble messenger molecules which subsequently interact with receptor-effector pathways in the responsive cells. Hormones are traditionally defined as chemical messengers synthesized by endocrine glands. Unlike hormones produced by endocrine glands, growth factors are hormone-related substances produced by many tissues and play an important role in controlling growth and development. While the exact physiological roles of growth factors have yet to be elucidated, they play important roles in the regulation of cellular proliferation and/or differentiation during ontogenesis, growth and differentiation. During recent years there has been a substantial increase in research related to peptide growth factors, their receptors, and modes of action. With the discovery and characterization of numerous growth factors, it became clear that these growth factors had multiple features in common with classic hormones as well as with oncogenes. Furthermore, there are distinct families of growth factors based either on structural or functional similarities.

Section I: General Aspects of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Physiology.- Somatomedins: A New Look at Old Questions.- Autocrine and Paracrine Effects of the Somatomedins/Insulin-like Growth Factors.- Role of IGFs in Growth Hormone Homeostasis.- Interaction of IGF with the Hypothalamus and Pituitary.- Feedback Regulation of Growth Hormone Gene Expression by Insulin-like Growth Factor I.- Growth Hormone and IGF Abnormalities of the African Pygmy.- Somatomedin Inhibitors.- Section II: Molecular Biology of Insulin-Like Growth Factors.- The Structure and Expression of the Human Insulin-like Growth Factor Genes.- Transcriptional Diversity in Rat Insulin-like Growth Factor I Gene Expression.- Physiological Regulation of Insulin-like Growth Factor Expression.- Dietary and Hormonal Factors Affecting the mRNA Level of IGF-I in Rat Liver In Vivo and in Primary Cultures of Rat Hepatocytes.- Expression of IGF-I in Liver.- Ovarian Insulin-like Growth Factor I: Basic Concepts Leading to Potential Clinical Outlets.- Regulation of Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Gene Expression by Estrogen.- Regulation of IGF-II Gene Expression in Human Adrenals, Gonads and Placenta.- Expression of Insulin-like Growth Factors by the Human Placenta.- IGFs in Pregnancy: Developmental Expression in Uterus and Mammary Gland and Paracrine Actions during Embryonic and Neonatal Growth.- Hormonal Feedback Regulation of Brain IGF-I and IGF-II Gene Expression.- Expression of the IGF-II Gene in Brain and Muscle.- Regulation of the Neuronal Insulin-like Peptide.- Growth Regulation of Human Breast Cancer by Insulin-like Growth Factors.- Insulin-like Growth Factors in Lung Cancer Cell Lines.- Section III: Structural and Functional Relationships of the Insulin-Like Growth Factor Receptors.- Structural Basis for Ligand-Dependent Transmembrane Signalling of the Insulin and IGF-1 Receptor Kinases.- Identification of the Domains of IGF I Which Interact with the IGF Receptors and Binding Proteins.- Comparison of Insulin-like Growth Factor Receptors in Human Retinal Cells.- IGF I Receptor Phosphorylation.- Regulation of Growth Factor Receptors by Protein Kinase C.- Insulin and Insulin-like Growth Factor I Mediated Phosphorylations in Mouse Neuroblastoma N18 Cells: A Model for Studying Insulin and IGF-I Action on Neural Tissue.- Insulin-like Growth Factor Receptors in the Central Nervous System: Phosphorylation Events and Cellular Mediators of Biological Function.- The Insulin-like Growth Factor-II/Mannose 6-Phosphate Receptor.- The Insulin-like Growth Factor-II/Mannose 6-Phosphate Receptor.- Section IV: Cellular Actions of Insulin-Like Growth Factors.- The Role of Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Proteins in Controlling the Expression of IGF Actions.- Characterization and Cloning of a Rat Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein.- Neurotrophic Effects and Mechanism of Insulin, Insulin-like Growth Factors, and Nerve Growth Factor in Spinal Cord and Peripheral Neurons.- Insulin-like Growth Factors as Regulatory Peptides in the Adult Rat Brain.- Receptors for Insulin and Insulin-like Growth Factors I and II in pcd Mice and Diabetic Rats Are Unaltered: An Autoradiographic Study.- Insulin-like Growth Factors and Heart Development.- Role of Insulin-like Growth Factor I and II on Skeletal Remodeling.- Effects of Insulin-like Growth Factors on Chromaffin Cells.- Interactions of Insulin and IGFs with Cellular Components of the Arterial Wall: Potential Impact on Atherosclerosis.- Interactions of Insulin-like Growth Factor I (IGF-I) with Multiple Signal Transduction Pathways in FRTL5 Thyroid FollicularCells.- Contributors.