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Review
. 2014 Apr;71(8):1469-76.
doi: 10.1007/s00018-013-1508-9.

The role of the insulin‑like growth factor (IGF) axis in osteogenic and odontogenic differentiation

H Al-Kharobi, R El-Gendy, D A Devine, J Beattie
Review

The role of the insulin‑like growth factor (IGF) axis in osteogenic and odontogenic differentiation

H Al-Kharobi et al. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2014 Apr.

Abstract

The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis is a multicomponent molecular network which has important biological functions in the development and maintenance of differentiated tissue function(s). One of the most important functions of the IGF axis is the control of skeletal tissue metabolism by the finely tuned regulation of the process of osteogenesis. To achieve this, the IGF axis controls the activity of several cell types—osteoprogenitor cells, osteoblasts, osteocytes and osteoclasts to achieve the co-ordinated development of appropriate hard tissue structure and associated matrix deposition. In addition, there is an increasing awareness that the IGF axis also plays a role in the process of odontogenesis (tooth formation). In this review, we highlight some of the key findings in both of these areas. A further understanding of the role of the IGF axis in hard tissue biology may contribute to tissue regeneration strategies in cases of skeletal tissue trauma.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The IGF axis comprises IGF-1 and -2 polypeptide growth factors (grey), six soluble high affinity IGF binding proteins (IGFBP1–6, yellow) together with the cell surface IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R, blue) and IGF-2 receptor (IGF-2R, green). The insulin receptor (IR, red) and hybrid IR/IGF-1R are also able to bind IGFs although with lower affinity than cognate receptors. Similarly, insulin and IGF-2 are able to bind to IGF-1R but with lower affinity than IGF-1 itself. Most IGFBPs can associate with various extra-cellular matrix (ECM) structures (here, IGFBP-5 is shown), and can be hydrolysed by IGFBP proteases present in the interstitial fluid. Both these features are used to regulate the access of pericellular IGFs to cell surface receptors. Recent evidence also suggests that some IGFBPs (here, IGFBP-3 is shown) display IGF-independent effects by association with specific IGFBP receptors. In serum and other biological fluids, IGFBP-3 and -5 can associate with an acid labile subunit (ALS) which may also regulate the activity of these IGFBPs
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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