IGF-Binding Proteins: Why Do They Exist and Why Are There So Many?

Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are key growth-promoting peptides that act as both endocrine hormones and autocrine/paracrine growth factors. In the bloodstream and in local tissues, most IGF molecules are bound by one of the members of the IGF-binding protein (IGFBP) family, of which six distinc...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: John B. Allard, Cunming Duan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Endocrinology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fendo.2018.00117/full